Now We're Human
by Sugarplumprincess94
Summary: Prince Naveen has just broken the spell of the Shadow Man by the kiss of his lovely new wife, Princess Tiana. Now that they're human again, Tiana works on buying and opening her restaurant, but her plans don't go the way she hopes. I don't own featured P.A.T.F characters. ********Chapter six is finally up! (Title: Visiting Royalty part one)
1. Chapter 1: Leaving the Bayou

**Ch.1**

**Leaving the Bayou**

A cool breeze swept over the early morning bayou, a rare treat in the humid late spring of Louisiana. Tall pink feathered birds, with lanky pale gold legs, rested on the limbs of a large strong tree, neighboring the bank of murky calm swamp water. The flock of pink birds happily gazed to a treehouse below them, watching an old woman dressed in a long white dress and matching white hat saying goodbye to two dear friends, the old woman loving them as if they were her own children. Mama Odie, the bayou's voodoo priestess, held a young woman tightly in her arms, patting her back and telling the departing princess, wearing a shimmering petal crown in her thick black bun, comforting and gentle words beside her ear.

"Thank you so much for everything, Mama Odie." the beautiful princess said in their embrace, a single tear shedding down her soft brown cheek.

The old woman chuckled, Princess Tiana taking in the kind woman's scent of fresh peppermint, "You're welcome, baby." Mama Odie now pulling away from the hug, finding Tiana's falling tears in spite of her blind eyes, patting them dry, "Now, now, no more tears. This is a happy day! You dug deeper and found ever'tang you needed!" the old woman reminded, motion her head to the edge of her treehome's porch to a second watching visitor.

Tiana's soft brown eyes turned for Mama Odie, stopping on her new husband, smiling their way in his classic confident grin. He word a light green doublet with a belt buckle showing the shape of a flower, and a matching cape, flowing to the back of his calves. His wavy brown hair fell perfectly in place, a stray curl styling to the side of his forehead. Not a single strand of hair was stressed or ruffled, in spite of the morning's building heat.

Tiana fought a bridal blush meeting his warm honey coated eyes, fixed solely on her; she soon turned back to the priestess, "You're right Mama Odie. Naveen was everything I needed-all along."

"She's even more beautiful when she comes to her senses, Mama Odie." a joking Prince Naveen remarked, touching a glaring Tiana's chin as he came to the women by the treehouse's door.

"Prince Froggy," a petite Mama Odie protectively called, glancing up to his tall frame while putting her hands on her hips, "you take good care of your new wife through this here bayou, you hear?"

"I promise." Naveen nodded his head, placing his hands in a cradled hold around a smiling Tiana at her waist.

"Now that there river is a straight way back to New Orleans. I have my boat right here at ta trunk of the tree waiting on you. Louis will take ya'll back for me. Shouldn't take ya'll more than a few hours."

"Thank you, Mama Odie." Naveen gave the old woman a hug; she chuckled as they said their goodbyes.

"Uh, Mama Odie?" Louis the alligator's voice called to the group above.

The three peeked down to the sound of his voice from the tree, curious of his troubled tone.

"Yes, baby?" Mama Odie shouted down to him, adjusting her sliding black sunglasses and smacking her pink gums.

"Is this the boat you want me to carry Miss Tiana and the prince on down the bayou?" Louis' voice doubtfully questioned, his large body and the boat unseen from the humans' view.

"It's the only boat I got down there!" the Southern woman sassily replied.

Tiana and Naveen exchanged worried glances, knowing something was wrong.

"Well, have you seen it….lately?" the sweet alligator asked the blind old woman, stroking the tip of his scaly green tail; Louis hated being the bearer of bad news.

"Stay here, Tiana." Naveen sprang into action, climbing down the ladder steps of Mama Odie's treehouse, "Louis?" the prince reached the grass of the swamp to find his friend, coming to the concerned alligator on the opposite side of the tree's trunk.

Louis simply pointed with his clawed hand to Mama Odie's boat in silence. Naveen put a hand to his face in frustration, witnessing their planned transportation. The wooden boat was water logged, covered in moss, and missing several pieces and boards of wood. In short, their boat back to New Orleans was unfit for travel. Two chipmunks arrived, crawling over Naveen's shoe and climbing into the broken boat for a pile of stored nuts they had hidden aboard. The rodents began to eat their breakfast while keeping their beady black eyes on the massive alligator before them, sitting their small weights on a cracked seat of Mama Odie's boat. Tiana, unaware of the boat's status, cupped her gloved hand to her ear, only hearing the sound of small squeaks and….crunching?

Mama Odie blinked repeatedly in confusion of all of the silence then released a gasp, "Juju!"

"Brother, I think she knows." Louis concluded of the boat to a tense shouldered Naveen after the echo of the old woman's shout to her pet from the treehouse.

Mama Odie's pet snake, slithering out of the house's doorframe, came up to her shoulders and met her eyes.

"Did you patch up the boat last night like I asked ya, child?"

Tiana looked to the snake on the priestess' shoulders, the forgetting reptile's eyes beginning to grow wide. Mama Odie began to shake her head with disappointed clicks of her tongue, Juju now hanging his head in shame.

"Mama Odie," Naveen returned back to the top of the tree, "the boat is-"

"Broken! I know!" the upset woman crossed her arms as Juju started to swerve down the trunk of the tree to survey all of the boat's damage.

"Now that throws thangs behind! It'll take us all day to fix!"

"Mama Odie…the boat is ruined. I don't think it can be fixed at all." Naveen shook his head, dreading the idea of him and Tiana sinking midway to New Orleans in the river even if the well damaged boat was repaired.

"Oo!" Mama Odie gave a frustrated grunt, "Where's my wand?" the old lady began to mumble, going back into the treehouse to find her magic club to magically fix the boat instead.

Tiana bit her thumbnail, drawing up her shoulders, as the rattling and clashing of pots, pans, glass, and cans began to echo to her ears while standing on Mama Odie's porch as the priestess started a vigorous search for her magic club inside.

"Juju!"

The snake lifted his head to the top of the tree while looking at the destroyed boat next to Lois and a few fireflies on the floor of the swamp.

"What did I do with my club, baby?" Mama Odie couldn't remember, laying halfway under her couch in her treehouse's livingroom.

The snake sighed a breath, leaving his friends and the boat at the swamp's floor to help the equally forgettable woman find her misplaced club in the tree.

More shattering glass was heard as Juju entered the treehouse, bringing Tiana to a new decision, "Come on, Princey." She walked past Naveen on the porch to its edge.

"Where are you going, mi amor?"

His wife peeked back to him with her sweet stunning eyes as she prepared to climb down to the swamp, "To build a raft."

"A raft? But," Naveen looked over his shoulder, helplessly pointing to the direction of a loudly searching priestess and Juju in their house, "Tiana, the boat will build itself once Mama Odie finds the club." The prince didn't mind more magic for the morning-he got a beautiful new bride because of it.

"_If _they find it." Tiana replied, doubtful of soon success, and continued down the trunk's steps in her heeled shoes.

"Tian-"

"Heeheeheeeeeee!" a rejoicing Mama Odie's voice laughed from inside the house.

Naveen smiled in relief, turning from his departing wife to the home's entrance. Mama Odie found her club.

"Here's that old record I've been looking for, Juju!" the distracted woman joyfully said, blowing off the record's trapped dust into a coughing Juju's face.

Naveen rolled his hazel eyes and left the porch to follow Tiana.

"Hmm…." Tiana began to ponder, placing her silky gloved hand to her chin, her eyes glancing to the surrounding grass, trees, and water of the river, "This raft's going to have to be a lot bigger than the last one I made." She recalled during her time as a much smaller frog.

The new wife reached to her hair, about to remove her glittering veil from her wedding ceremony, ready to work.

Naveen jumped down from the last step of the tree to the swamp's surface, looking to his strategizing wife, "Darling, you made the last one. Let me make this raft."

Tiana heard Naveen's voice, touched by the gesture, and turned from the river to see him, "That's sweet, Naveen, but we'd get finished much faster if we work together."

He took her hand, "Louis and I will build the raft. Here. You just relax in the shade, princess."

"Naveen-"

"I insist."

Tiana sighed, allowing Naveen to build the raft on his own, while she began to enjoy the cool of the morning's shadows from her tree.

Naveen smiled, looking back at a relaxing Tiana, then went around to the trunk of Mama Odie's tree, his face now washed with panic, "Psst! Louis!" the pampered prince whispered, causing the alligator to turn from the broken boat, finding the transportation a lost cause.

"Hey, buddy! Did Mama Odie come up with a plan to get you two back to town?"

"Well…"

"Juju! Did I find it?...Hahaaaa! Nope!" a humored Mama Odie stated of the false alarm, a rounded glass bottle soon falling next to Louis and Naveen's feet on the grass, a fair reminder of the priestess' magic club.

Naveen looked away from the abandoned bottle to Louis, "Tiana wants to build a raft."

Louis' eyes began to twinkle of the suggestion, "Great idea! Miss Tiana's a natural at that! I remember that cute little one she made the day I met you two out on the river!"

"Yes, Louis, but this time, I want to build it."

"Come again?"

"Louis, please tell me you know how to build a raft. I want to impress Tiana."

Louis put his clawed hands to his hips, "Boy, why would I know how to build a raft? I'm a gator. I swim wherever I need to go."

Naveen groaned, stroking a hand through his hair. Tiana watched Naveen talking to Louis from the shade, wondering why they hadn't started working yet. She looked up to the bright rising yellow sun. The last thing Tiana wanted was Naveen to be out trying to build the raft during the hottest portion of the morning. She gave the two more time, beginning to straighten out her sparkling green wedding gown while continuing to sit in the protection of the shade.

"Where do we get wood around here?" Naveen wondered aloud, placing a finger to his mouth.

"From the trees." Louis pointed, the forest in full supply.

"I don't have a saw!"

"Neither did Miss Tiana, but she built the raft anyway."

"Gah!" Naveen fully hid behind the thick tree's trunk, out of his wife's sight. Frustrated by his lack of construction knowledge, he began to swearing in Maldonian.

Although Tiana couldn't see Naveen behind the tree, she certainly could hear him, swearing in Maldonian without a doubt, in all of his distant shouting. Her eyes glanced up to Mama Odie, now emerging from her treehouse empty handed.

She sweetly waved Tiana's way, "Now don't you worry, baby! Juju and I gonna find my club real soon!" the priestess knew Tiana was concerned, but honestly, Mama Odie had no idea where her club had gone; she waddled back into the house, hoping for a miracle.

Tiana got up from the grass in the shade, more sounds of Mama Odie's falling furniture ringing into the open air of the swamp. Tiana shook her head then saw a small beaver out in the water downstream. Recognizing the furry creature as an earlier wedding guest, she went to say hello.

"Just tell Tiana you don't know how to build a raft!" Louis begged Naveen, his eyes growing irritated of the proud prince's unneeded distress.

"How hard can it be? All I need is wood, a few vines-several vines- and some mud….maybe?"

Louis became puzzled, "What do you need mud for?"

"To hold all the wood together!"

"Why use mud when you have the vines? It'll take forever for the mud to dry to put out on the lake."

"Won't the wood sink without it?!"

"Wood floats, Naveen."

"Right, right…" the new husband sighed, "I know that. I'm just…" Naveen heaved a heavy second breath and began to rub the back of his neck.

Louis walked over to Naveen, putting his hand on the man's shoulder, "Brother, you've only been married to Miss Tiana for an hour. Not knowing how to build a river raft won't end your marriage, you know."

"You're right, Louis." Naveen sighed once more, lifting the weight of his imagined pressure from his shoulders. He looked to Louis, smiling at his side, "I better go ask for Tiana to help us out."

"There you go, buddy, and while you do that, I'm gonna go get those vines!"

"Thanks, Louis."

The alligatior nodded to Naveen then spotted a tree close by across the river, covered in thick vines perfect for their raft. Louis dived into the river and swam its way, the two eating chipmunks and some of the fireflies tagging along on the alligator's back to help.

Naveen arrived to the shady tree, "Tiana?" his wife was nowhere to be found, "Tiana?" he looked past her shaded tree to the other trees in the swamp, beginning to peek into a pile of bushes, "Where did you go, mi fraggee pruta?"

"Hi, there." Tiana spoke from behind him, a flat tone in her voice.

"Hi!" Naveen turned away from the pile of bushes with a nervous grin, for a second secretly thinking Tiana had transformed back into a frog while he was gone, his cape swaying from the fast shift of his body.

"Did you come to tell that the raft is done?" her voice carried a deep touch of her Louisiana accent.

"Well, um…"Naveen nervously chuckled again, "about the raft…"he now met her eyes, "Tiana, I don't know how to build one…Well, I know how to build one, I just don't how to chop down the wood without supplies."

"Naveen, why didn't you just tell me?"

"Because Tiana," Naveen sighed with guilt in his eyes, "For our entire time in the swamp, you've practically taken care of everything-the first raft, what we ate, knowing what we shouldn't eat, helping me outsmart frog-eating birds and alligators…"the husband began to shrug his shoulders at her with an embarrassed look over the features of his face, "For once, I wanted to help you." He lowered his eyes to the swamp's grass, perching his mouth, uncomfortable in the silence of his wife.

Naveen soon felt soft silk gloves on the sides of his face, causing him to look up, and to his surprise, an even silkier mouth came to his lips in a kiss.

Tiana laughed, seeing her husband's restored confidence in a bright grin and slightly dazed look in his honey warm eyes, "Now," she dusted off the prince's shoulders, "don't ever feel that way again. You help me everyday-more than you know." She took his hand, "Follow me."

"Where are we going?"

"Not far. Louis?" Tiana stopped at the lake, her hand in Naveen's, "Can you follow us down the river when y'all finish collecting those vines?" she saw the reptilian friend happily nodding next to the chipmunks and glowing fireflies aiding light at the tree and continued to pull Naveen along. "We have a few of our other good friends waiting for us right down the bank." She explained while they walked.

Naveen formed a pearly white smile in surprise of the news, "Tiana, a riverboat stopped for us? How did you find them?" the man envisioned in his mind, continuing alongside the river.

"I didn't." Tiana smiled at him, beginning to push away a tree's hanging layers of moss, revealing a family of waving beavers-standing on a pile of freshly chopped logs for their raft. She looked back to Naveen at her side.

"Ashidanza…" he grinned, impressed of the precisely cut wood for them at the river.

Tiana giggled. The couple waited for a swimming Louis, coming their way in the water with a jaw full of tree vines.

**o-o-o-o-o**

"See, Naveen, you helped after all!" Tiana encouraged as she and the prince floated down the river under the provided shade of Naveen's swamp made umbrella attached to the raft's base, a long stick with vine tied leaves at its top.

"I did, princess!" Naveen was beaming from ear to ear as Louis pulled them along to New Orleans with a secure vine. "And now," he pulled from his belt a forked stick with well tied strings, reminiscent to a guitar, or better yet, a ukulele, "I shall serenade you with music."

Tiana covered her mouth, fighting a laugh, as Naveen propped one of his legs over the other to loudly strum his handmade ukulele with a humming Louis in front of their raft. "Some things never change!" she playfully spoke over the laughing men as they came closer to the city.

Tiana smiled then looked ahead to her sugar mill as they drifted to the ports of New Orleans. She suddenly gasped, remembering her deadline, and her heart began to sink.

Naveen heard Tiana's gasp. Stopping the music of his ukulele, he raised his thick brow, "Is something wrong, my love?" he sat up on their raft, now looking to Tiana's dream place for her restaurant. "It's your sugar mill, yes?"

"Mm-mm! I can smell those po' boys you're gonna make for me already, Miss Tiana!" Louis' mouth began to water at the thought, their raft ride soon coming to a stop further down the city's ports.

"Naveen," Tiana touched the man's arm, "the deadline! I missed the deadline!" she began to panic, clenching with both arms now to his one arm.

"Deadline? What deadline?" Louis twisted his head, in effort to see a worried Tina behind him on the raft.

"The deadline for the sugarmill- with the Fenner brothers." Tiana answered Louis then turned to Naveen, her eyes starting to fill with tears, "Naveen, I promised to meet them Wednesday morning in their office to top another bid-yesterday!" a tear began to fall down her cheek.

"Tiana, don't cry." Naveen held her, gently stroking the soft curls of her hair, "Are you sure you still can't make a higher offer?" he gently spoke over her and began to wipe her face, Louis now swimming in distracted curves through the water in front of them while hearing Tiana's cries.

She began to nod, "They told me-at Charlotte's party."

Naveen glanced away from his wife's eyes to the shining river ahead in thought, "The night we met?" he began to recall, meeting Tiana on the balcony of the LaBouffs', changing her to a frog from their kiss.

Tiana quietly nodded once more.

Naveen closed his eyes, shortly muttering in Maldonian, "This is my fault." He looked to Tiana, "Don't worry, Tiana. I will take care of this."

"No, Naveen. Don't blame yourself." She shook her head, "I missed the deadline, and there's nothing else we can do." She crossed her arms to cover her bare shoulders, fighting a shudder, "I'll have to find a new place for the restaurant." Inside, Tiana already knew there was no other spot in all of New Orleans with property for sale large enough to hold her dream restaurant-from a real estate firm willing to sell to coloreds, that is.

Naveen stared at his disappointed wife for a moment, a determined look in his eyes as she sadly swayed one of her gentle fingers to ripple the river's water at her side, "How far is your home from here?"

"Hm?" Tiana came out of her trance, "About a mile. Why?" she then lifted a teasing brow and smiled, "Are you scared to meet my mama?"

Naveen's eyes quickly widened, forgetting all about meeting Tiana's mother. He was convinced his heart had just stopped at the thought of meeting the woman.

"I'll take that as a yes!" Louis spoke in amusement of Naveen's sudden silence, letting out a heavy bellied chuckle of the man. The alligator soon came to the edge of the river, allowing the newlyweds to cross from him to a shaded area of the bank, "Thank you for riding the S.S. Louis!"

"Thank you, Louis." Naveen chuckled, holding out his hand for Tiana as he got his footing stable to the grass of the bank.

"Anytime!" Louis smiled, which soon began to fade as Tiana reached for his face for a hug goodbye, "Promise you two won't forget about me- now that you're human?" he looked up to his new friends from the river with sad black eyes, puppy-like in spite of being an alligator.

"Of course we won't, Louis. We never would have made it through the swamp to Mama Odie without you. You're our friend!" Tiana smiled a smile that warmed the listening gator's heart.

"She's right, Louis. After all, we'll meet again. Tiana wants you to play with the big boys once her restaurant is up and running!"

Tiana remained quiet at Naveen's side, uncertain if that day would ever come now. She looked away from her husband's loving smile to Louis, wagging his excited tail in the bright blue water, "I do, Louis," she began to agree, finding it better to be positive, "and I'll pay you for your playing in po' boys."

"Ooo!" Louis gave her a wide smile, a smile so wide, if Tiana and Naveen couldn't talk to him with magic, they'd think he was about to eat them; the alligator gave joyful splashes at the thought of his generous pay, "I can't wait!" he began to back away from the bank to the deeper area of the river, taking the raft with him to give to Mama Odie, back in the bayou, "I'll see you lovebirds soon." and began to swim back to the swamp.

"Goodbye, Louis! Take care, my friend!" Tiana and Naveen simultaneously replied with waves as the alligator disappeared from the port.

Tiana looked away from the river to Naveen, "Now we got to find a clock in town."

"A clock?" Naveen was confused of the odd request, taking Tiana's hand as they walked up a tall grassy hill in the shade to get to one of the city's sidewalks.

"Mm-hmm! We need to catch the next available trolley to Mama's."

Naveen froze in his tracks again, his heart racing in anticipation.

Tiana felt the man stop, unable to easily pull his body behind hers any longer, "Don't worry." She now faced him and kissed her husband's lips, "I promise she won't bite." She gave Naveen's face a soft brush with her thumb, and the couple began to walk on the sidewalk of a busy mid-day New Orleans, keeping their eyes peeled for the next clock and trolley.


	2. Chapter 2: Explainin

**A/N: I'd like to take a second to thank everyone who has read, favorited, and reviewed chapter one so far. You all are too sweet! I also would like to thank anyone who reads, favorites, and reviews these chapters in the future. More reviews/critiques and comments are always welcome. Here's chapter two. I hope you all enjoy. There's also a glossary at the end.**

* * *

**Ch.2**

**Explainin' to Mama**

The trolley assigned for Tiana's route home was packed with lunch travelers from the city. Naveen was busy staring out of the window of their chosen seats, enjoying the scenery of the city's stone streets, brightly colored buildings, and walking locals. Tiana, on the other hand, was distracted. The newlyweds were drawing countless stares from the other trolley passengers, several wondering if the night of Mardi Gras had just passed or Halloween, as Tiana wore her beautiful but out of place crown in her hair and held a soft folded veil in her lap. Little girls on the trolley watched closely, their sparkling eyes full of admiration, finding Tiana's dress one of the prettiest dresses to ever grace New Orleans. They also took interest in the handsome man dressed as a prince at her side. Two old men, watching Naveen in a near area of the trolley, began bumping elbows while holding their newspapers, recognizing Naveen's face from a story on the fourth page.

"Naveen," Tiana made a turn to the man in a whisper, "I don't think we should have taken this trolley."

The prince looked away from the passing trolley's scenery to his wife, "What? And walk the entire way home? Ridiculonza! Mama Odie gave us money for the trolley." his conscience was clear, making a casual look back to the windows.

Tiana's eyes then locked to a staring group of people in the seats in front of them— all four looking back to her and Naveen— overhearing the prince speaking in his Maldonian language. Two of the people, gasping, turned to the others and whispered, "It's him! It's him! It _is_ him!" the people were estatic of the confirmation, now aware they were having a short ride with royalty.

Tiana shook her head in annoyance and folded her arms as gossip of Naveen's presence began to encircle the trolley.

Naveen smiled; he was fully aware of the attention, "You'll get used to it, princess!" Placing his arm around Tiana's seat, Naveen provoked the passengers' curiosity even more.

Feeling a growing shyness within her, Tiana started to sink in her seat as the continuing whispers around the trolley sent their hisses into the air around them.

**o-o-o-o**

Tiana pulled Naveen off of the trolley with a bitter look on her face as the vehicle sat in place at the curb of her mother's house. Passengers on the trolley continued their begging for Naveen to sign autographs as they stood at the open windows, waving blank napkins and the limited strips of paper they could find aboard toward the prince's direction.

"Yes, enjoy the rest of your day, good people of New Or- Ow! Tiana!" Tiana yanked the man by the ear while he waved goodbye to the leaving trolley. "We must be cordial!" he explained as the two walked down the sidewalk.

"You signed over thirty autographs the whole way here!"

"Eh," he shrugged, looking back to the trolley as it turned a corner back to the main area of New Orleans, "maybe they wanted autographs for their friends?"

Tiana gave a chuckle and held Naveen's hand. They passed the threshold of the sidewalk into a yard, its display of light green grass was shimmering from the sun's afternoon light while moving in the blow of a small warm breeze, and a tiny brown bird was searching for fresh food in the healthy rich soil. Naveen's eyes began to observe the neighborhood of Tiana's home. All of the houses were identical in design and were built in two straight rows over the grassy area of land; they were very small—made of wooden planks with small porches and modestly sized windows, each home topped with a clean brown roof. Nearly the entire collection of homes could be placed in his father's royal bedroom back in Maldonia, but his father was a king, after all. Naveen didn't mind, finding the small homes exciting, full of heartwarming stories.

Tiana had mentioned to him in the past she would cook for her neighbors as a child, and many would come to eat the meals she made on her back porch. He was excited to see more of how his new princess grew up, beginning with meeting the woman that brought her into the world and raised her.

"Done sightseeing?" Tiana smiled, watching her curious husband from the top of her home's steps.

Naveen turned to see her, coming from his thoughts at the sound of her voice, "Oh, yes. Sorry!" he quickly came up the porch's four wooden stairs leading to the front door, a smile on his face while he grabbed her hands.

"It's okay." Tiana sweetly laughed, letting go of one of his hands to knock on her mother's door. Tiana gently rubbed Naveen's back, the posture of his abnormally high shoulders giving his current level of tension away.

Naveen began to smile, mesmerized by Tiana's deep brown eyes, "So, what all do we tell her? Her name is Eudora, yes?"

"Yes, but as a first meeting, she is Mrs. Brown to you." his warning wife playful poked to the center of his chest.

"Of course, of course."

Tiana smiled; she hooked her arms through Naveen's, expecting her mother to let them inside any moment, "But what we're not going to do is let her know we've been frogs all this time."

"What?" Naveen quickly looked to his wife, feeling he misunderstood her response and finding the idea too ridiculous to agree to, "Then, Tiana, what are we suppose to tell her?"

The front door began to open, Eudora Brown standing at its center with wide eyes, seeing her daughter's face, "Tiana!" she cried aloud and immediately held Tiana in a hug. She thought she was dead, "Babycakes, where have you been?" Eudora started kissing Tiana's cheeks, causing a distant Naveen to smile. Eudora kept hold of the giggling woman's face, "And you look so beautiful-and-and-and your dress and-" Eudora noticed a veil- a wedding veil- draped over her daughter's arm. The mother's light brown eyes looked to Tiana's in confusion.

"Mama..." Tiana began, stretching her arm to her side, smiling, to a second visitor on the porch her mother hadn't even noticed.

Eudora turned her gaze to a tall man, tan with attractive hazel eyes and a well-sculpted frame, taking the hand of her little girl. His identity was unmistakable from the town's newspapers.

"Mama," Tiana anxiously shrugged with a stunning white smile as Naveen held her waist, "This is Prince Naveen…my new husband."

Naveen looked away from Tiana to see the reaction of his new mother-in-law, wondering how much she'd heard of his womanizing past. If anything, the precious older woman looked faint, and the mugginess of the southern weather didn't provide her any relief.

"Mama?" Tiana was growing worried of her mother's silence.

"Well, my word…" Eudora took a step back, with a palm to her head, beginning to fan herself at the door; her blood was rushing through her body the more overwhelmed she became.

"Mrs. Brown, are you alright?" Naveen cautiously took her free hand, not wanting Tiana's mother to faint from the news, the woman soon nodding her head to him.

"Let's get you some water, Mama."

The couple trailed the older woman into her home, Tiana quickly closing back the front entrance and pacing for the kitchen to get her mother something cool to drink.

Naveen sat with Eudora on the soft floral printed couch, scared she'd lost the ability to speak. A look of horror was in her eyes as she quietly kept her watch to the man at her side. Naveen smiled, with uncertain shrug of the woman's state of mind; she also hadn't fainted yet. At least that was good news.

Tiana returned to the den. She handed her mother a glass of freshly iced water, "Here you go, Mama." and sat to her mother's other side.

Naveen unconsciously leaned toward Eudora in suspense of what she would say after regaining composure as she gulped heavy hard sips of water, the sips echoing from her throat. Tiana's mother set down her glass on the coffee table, releasing a refreshed sigh from her lips.

"Mama?" Tiana placed her hand on her mother's relaxing shoulder.

Eudora's expression of shock melted away, now forming a ray of excitement, "I'm finally gonna get my grand-babies!"

"Mama!"

Naveen broke out in laughter while Eudora clapped with a joyous bounce on the couch. Tiana, the only one of the family not amused, shut her eyes, putting a hand to her chest in relief her mother was okay.

"You brilliant, _brilliant_ man!" Eudora turned away from her stunned daughter to face Naveen in a tight hug, "I don't know if Tiana would have ever gotten married in her twenties if you hadn't shown up!"

Naveen continued to chuckle, "Thank you, Mrs. Brown, but I'm sure your daughter's new in laws will say the same thing of me."

Tiana rolled her eyes with a propped chin in her palm as the man made reference to his playboy past.

Eudora stopped her celebrating in the middle of squeezing her new son in law, pulling away as she recalled the many rumors of the playboy prince herself, "Oh, yes…" she grew an authoritative look toward the man, "You and I will have to have a talk about that over lunch." Her daughter was safe, and now, Eudora was hungry. Taking Naveen's hand, Eudora crossed Tiana sitting on the couch to go prepare food for them all in kitchen, "Excuse us."

"Mama?" Tiana remained stunned of the mother, daring to leave her behind—her actual child!

"Stay here, Babycakes, or go to your room." Eudora's eyes made a suddle but oh so dimly stern stare to the prince in her grasp, "I need to have a word with Mr. Naveen."

"Uh-oh." Naveen gulped a breath, going from royalty to 'Mr.' in less than one minute in the new mother-in-law's eyes, as Eudora pulled him away from the comforts of his wife and the den.

Tiana sighed, only hoping now Naveen would keep his mouth shut on where the two of them had been over the last week.

**o-o-o-o**

"Frogs?" Eudora confronted at the stove, "Some fortune teller in this city turned my baby into a frog?"

"Naveen…" Tiana groaned, glancing to the shrugging husband at the kitchen table while he was stuffing his mouth with waffles and well seasoned eggs.

"I had to tell her the truth, Tiana." the man looked to Eudora, grinning, "Your mother is so adorable!" he admitted and continued to eat, eagerly adding bacon to his plate.

Tiana looked back to Eudora; the mother was terrified by the full details Naveen had given her, slightly shaking at her knees, "The Shadow Man's dead now, Mama."

"What? Who killed him?"

A smug Naveen chuckled deeply from the table, "Tiana."

"Mmm!" Tiana quickly perched her mouth, upset of a talkative Naveen.

Eudora gasped with her hands to her soft cheeks, "You're a murderer? You're gone from my doorstep for six days, and now you're a murderer?!"

"Ah," Naveen contently sighed, "a beautiful murderer, Eudora— the killer of a man, the killer of my heart!" the prince listed, raising his orange juice's glass in a toast and following sip.

"That's Mrs. Brown to you, young man!" the woman's mother snapped, a frustrated Tiana putting a hand to her forehead dealing with the two.

Naveen's princely posture became even straighter as his mother-in-law pointed his way, "Yes, Mrs. Brown. My apologies, Mrs. Brown."

"And Tiana?"

"Yes, Mama?"

"How adorable is she?" Naveen gushed over Tiana, loving the tenderness of her voice around her mother.

Tiana curled a half of a smile to Naveen then looked back to Eudora.

"Now, I need a minute alone with you- a long minute!"

Tiana sighed. Lifting the skirt of her gown, she began to leave the kitchen.

"Help yourself to seconds, Naveen. It's all fresh on the stove." Eudora added, turning off the final eye of the appliance to leave the room behind her daughter, the newly cooked bacon's scent lingering in the air.

"Yes, Mrs. Brown. Thank you, Mrs. Brown."

The mother-in-law concealed an annoyed smirk, yet somehow, she still found the prince _charming_. She followed Tiana out of the kitchen's entrance. Tiana wanted to talk in her bedroom, desiring to hear her mother's full opinion without upsetting an overhearing Naveen. Tiana entered her room first, finding everything neatly in place, just as she left it before leaving for Charlotte's costume party Saturday night. The extra bobby pins still laid next to her clock and her sweet lavender lotion on her nightstand, and her favorite chef magazine kept its place, open to a pie recipe, on her wooden dresser. Tiana crossed her gloved hands to the bottom of her chin, her mother's footsteps drawing closer in the hall. Tiana's stiffening shoulders froze in their places as she heard the mild slam of her bedroom's door.

"Well, he's more handsome in person than in the pictures. That's for sure."

Tiana turned from her view of her made bed and neighboring window toward Eudora at the closed entrance, "He's sweet, Mama."

"He has a reputation… I've read a few things in the papers."

Tiana heaved a breath, staring down to the floorboards under her feet.

Her mother watched her closely, an undeniable glow on her daughter's skin and a gentle appearance graced her face, "But you love him."

"I love him, a lot, Mama."

Eudora nodded in silence and began to smooth a short wrinkle from her apron, "And you know what being married to him means?"

"Grandbabies." Tiana fought an eyeroll, "I know, Mama."

"Well, yes, but," Eudora shortly chuckled of her answer then pushed a stray lock of her own curls behind her ear, "I meant being a princess."

Tiana's eyes looked up from the floor to her mother's face, flustered by the explanation.

"Your life won't ever be the same, sweetheart."

Tiana chuckled, "What do you mean? My life won't be that different. Naveen's broke, Mama. His parents cut him off. The last thing they ever bought for Naveen was a one-way ticket to New Orleans."

Eudora put a hand on her hip, "Do you honestly think that king and queen are going to let Naveen live like us for long-a prince—among blacks—poor blacks? And in the deep south of America of all places?!" she then shook her head, unable to believe Tiana was that naïve.

Tiana bashfully buckled her fingers, biting her lower lip, "Naveen doesn't know much about how America is yet…when it comes to…us." the hintful African American daughter motioned her gloved index finger to the soft brown skin of her bare shoulder.

"Tiana!" the mother scolded, shocked of the confession.

"Shh!" Tiana begged her mother to keep quiet, placing a green silk finger to her lips.

"Is there anything else I need to know?"

"I think you're all caught up."

Eudora sighed a dense breath, "And what about the restaurant? Did you sign the contract with the Fenners the other night?" the woman then noticed her daughter's face, a frown coming to her mouth, almost as if Tiana wanted to cry. Eudora's eyes grew wide, "Baby, what happened?"

"Nothing, Mama." Tiana brushed off the loss of the sugar mill, closing her eyes to hold back tears as her mother came to her to cradle her face.

A polite knock arrived to the women's ears from the bedroom's door in a few gentle taps.

Eudora put a hand to her hip, with a judging stare to the closed entrance, "I hope he's not an eavesdropper!"

"Mama!" Tiana quietly snapped and left the frowning woman to open her bedroom's door, "Hi."

"Hi, mi bella princesa."

A warm smile effortlessly crossed Tiana's face hearing Naveen's voice.

The husband looked above Tiana's petal crown to a skeptical Eudora, her brow raised toward him through his sight of the cracked doorway. His eyes met back to Tiana's, "I need to go back into town— for a couple of hours or so."

Tiana glanced back to her watching mother then entered into the hallway with Naveen, closing the door of her bedroom, "Is something wrong?"

"No…" Naveen quickly denied then doubtfully twisted his mouth, "I mean, yes…No…Well, sort of!"

"No or yes, Naveen?"

He panicked seeing Tiana's growing irritation, the woman about to suspiciously cross her arms, and Naveen softly grabbed her, "I need to go to the police station about Lawrence, and I also need to stop at the LaBouffs' estate…for my clothes!" he finished stating, giving a grin.

Although both excuses were valid, neither were Naveen's main reasons for needing to leave his new bride and mother-in-law.

Tiana nodded her head to Naveen as he brushed her bare shoulders exposed from her gown's design, "I want to see Lottie, anyway. I'll come with you." She reached for her room's doorknob, "Give me a second to change."

"No!"

Tiana turned back from the door to fully face Naveen, who was, unknowingly to her, sweating with fear underneath his finely stitched wedding suit while she met his eyes once more, "No?"

"Tiana, I need to go into town by myself."

She quietly stared at her husband, trying to suppress her state of disappointment, "Oh, I see…" she turned back to reach for the golden doorknob to her room.

Naveen sighed, "Tiana, I promise I'll—"

"No, it's fine." the wife dismissed his guilt, Naveen knowing the current look of Tiana's suppressed anger all too well in just a matter of six days; she faced back to Naveen in the hall after crossing the threshold to her room, "Enjoy your time in town— without me."

"Tiana—"

She swiftly shut her bedroom's door in the prince's face.

The man rolled his eyes. He'd make up for his behavior later. Eudora watched her angered daughter come back through the room, stopping at her wooden dresser with a glare towards her sparkling wedding veil resting on the furniture's surface. Tiana sighed and sat down on the soft mattress of her bed.

"Where is he going?" Eudora heard Naveen closing the front door of her home as Tiana pulled off her shoes.

"To town. He said he'd rather go without me."

Eudora narrowed her eyes as a saddened Tiana laid down in a quiet plop on her bed's plush white pillows toward the warm breeze of her open window. The mother-in-law balled her petite hands into raging fists. Prince Naveen was treading into dangerous waters.

* * *

**A/N: Uh-oh! Looks like Mama Froggy ain't too happy about this, and where is Naveen going where he'd lie to our princess—and only hours into their marriage? Tsk. Tsk. Tsk. I hope you all are enjoying what's happening so far. I'm planning to post the third chapter within the next couple of weeks. Get ready for a few more old faces! Thanks again for reading.**

**Here's chapter one and two's glossaries and be ready for more of these in the future!**

** 1\. Mi amor **(French) : my love

** 2\. Ashidanza **(Maldonian): an expression of being amazed or impressed; 'Oh, my gosh'

** 3\. Ridiculonza** (Maldonian): Ridiculous

** 4\. Mi bella princesa **(Spanish): my beautiful princess

**Stay tuned, Froggies!**


	3. Chapter 3: Meeting with the Fenner Bros

**A/N: Here's chapter three. I hope you all enjoy it. Thank you to everyone who reads it. Reviews always welcome.**

* * *

**Ch.3**

**Meeting with the Fenner Brothers**

The grandfather clock, crafted from exotic mahogany and trimmed in bright gold, ticked in passing seconds with its rotating golden hand, half past the hour. Charlotte LaBouff was in a tailored pastel pink dress, at a table set for one, eating a tray of freshly baked cookies with a glass of cool lemonade. She set down her cold drink and lightly dabbed her napkin over her lips in a refined manner, being careful not to ruin her warm shade of pink lipstick.

A butler of average height walked in a dignified stroll to meet the heiress enjoying her dessert in the calming parlor, "Ms. LaBouff?"

"Yes?" Charlotte turned away from her tray of cookies in small surprise, not expecting to be disturbed.

The butler's proper stance drifted into cautiousness, about to announce what he found to be an uncomfortable event, "Your ex-fiancé, Prince Naveen, is here."

Charlotte was quiet, and suspicious, recalling Tiana and Naveen remaining frogs on Mardis Gras night, despite her several kisses. The couple told her they would live out the rest of their lives together in the bayou. Although Charlotte found the notion preposterous, living in that ancient muddy swamp— with danger lurking at every mossy rock and turn, she made Tiana swear that she would come to her father's estate to visit every once in a while. However, if Naveen was here, shouldn't he be a frog, too? Charlotte's bright blue eyes grew wide, imaging a dreadful scenario. Had that old man she almost married disguised as Prince Naveen escaped from prison? The blonde heiress felt a dry lump in her throat, picturing Lawrence—all short, wrinkly, and horrid!

Her butler stood at the doorway, patiently but highly concerned, given Charlotte always had _something_ to say; the gray headed gentleman raised his brow, offering a suggestion during the woman's silence, "Ms. LaBouff, shall I send the prince away and leave him to the disposal of your father after his business for the afternoon?"

"Well…"Charlotte was unsure if 'Naveen' could be trusted, "What does he look like?"

The butler's thick gray brows formed a muddled line on his head, yet he cleared his throat, "He looks the quite the same, Ms. LaBouff- tall, dark hair, dark tan—"

"Send him away." Charlotte rapidly declared, tossing her hand as she turned back to her tray of warm cookies, "I have no desire to see him."

"Yes, miss." the butler politely bowed, in full understanding. He exited the parlor to dismiss Prince Naveen, waiting at the mansion's door. Naveen, hearing the footsteps of the returning butler, removed his gaze from the LaBouff's freshly watered yard, "My apologies, your highness but—"

"Don't 'your highness' him!"a thundering Charlotte reprimanded from her table of desserts.

Naveen's eyes fell back to the butler.

"Ms. Charlotte does not wish to be disturbed at this present time…She's ill." the butler slowly pushed the door, simultaneously turning its lock, "Mr. LaBouff will be home later this evening." the closing door moved faster, "I'm sure he'd love to speak with you."

"What? Charlotte?" Naveen went into a panic, "Charlotte!" he blocked the door from closing, the butler squawking in fear, perceiving the prince as an intruder. "It's really me—Prince Naveen!"

"Never in my twenty-eight years of hospitality!"the offended butler attempted to beat a squirming Naveen's hand out of the door with a feather duster.

"Charlotte!"

Charlotte, unable to take anymore of the prince's fake accent, threw down her tray of cookies in the parlor and made her way down the mansion's hallway in an angered trudge, her agitated glare growing stronger as she shoved her unsuspecting butler aside to dismiss 'the prince' herself, "You're not the prince! The real prince is with my Tia!" her voice bellowed to a startled Naveen as she came out of the door, "And what is this tacky get-up you dare to disgrace yourself with on my family's porch?" Charlotte now questioned in a disapproving strain of disgust, seeing Naveen's light green wedding suit and cape.

"Charlotte, Tiana and I are married!"

"I know that! They told me they would before they left!" his wife's hysterical best friend wasn't buying his genuine visit one bit.

"Charlotte, I'm here to get my things. I know you think I'm Lawrence, but—"

"But what?!" Charlotte shouted, alarming two resting white doves at the porch's railing, "Until I see _my_ Tia," the woman shoved Naveen to a near fall at the stairs, "I'm not letting you step one foot in this house!" she slammed the front door in Naveen's face, frightening the doves into a swift flight.

Naveen stood alone at the stairs, disarranged. He sighed and continued down the stairs to wait for the next trolley, "Well, it looks as if I'll have to go to the Fenners in this." he concluded in a look down to his green suit, thinking of Charlotte's previous words, quickly reassuring himself as he began to nod, "I still look handsome." Naveen walked through the LaBouff's black iron gate leading to the neighborhood's sidewalk in a confident strut and smile.

Charlotte dusted off her hands with a proud look as she watched Naveen leaving down the street through one of her home's front windows. Stroking the back of her pinned up hair, she confidently glanced to her butler, "That's how you get rid of unwanted company, Richard." the Southern belle said, giving a smile; she patted the confounded butler's back and returned to the parlor to enjoy the rest of her dessert in peace.

**O-O-O-O-O**

Eudora was taking an afternoon nap in her bedroom, a much need one after the consecutive restless nights fearing she had lost her daughter. She was so relieved that Tiana was safe. The middle aged mother was in full bliss under her thin linen bed sheet, the warm air of her room being enough to stay content as she napped. A bewitching aroma of food began to layer Eudora's nose, another satisfying sign of Tiana's return, but by the smells of the various foods, it seemed as if Tiana was making a feast instead of a simple weeknight supper. And for what? For the likes of him?! Eudora sat up in her bed, pulling back her linen sheet in silent protest, the son-in-law's abrupt departure still on her mind.

Tiana stood over the kitchen's stove in a light sundress with her hair tied in a secure bun. Eudora found the temperature of her home even hotter than usual the closer she came to the kitchen. Seeing the countless pots, pans, and bowls scattered across her kitchen's counters, along with the thick clouds of steam from boiling pots, the shocked mother was about to make her presence known.

"Hey, Mama. Couldn't stay asleep much longer with all of this cooking going on, could you?" her daughter greeted with a sweet laugh over her shoulder then looked back to the stove as the older woman arrived to her side, "Careful, Mama. That's hot." Tiana handed the curious woman a potholder.

Eudora took the potholder and opened a silver pot's lid, "Jumbalaya?" she opened a second, "Okra?" smelling even more food in the oven, the woman leaned down to its door for a peep.

"Baked chicken." Tiana informed before her mother could see the mysterious tray of food inside while stirring a pot of corn, green beans, and carrots.

"Tiana, why are you cooking all of this—" Eudora's eyes spotted a plate of ingredients for dessert, "You're making chocolate cake, too?" she picked up a bag of cocoa powder set on the counter.

"Mm-hmm."

"Baby, give me that!" Eudora forcefully took Tiana's spatula.

"Mama!" Tiana laughed, "What are you—"

"We are mad at him!" the mother reminded about Naveen, pointing the clean spatula in her daughter's face, "He left us. We don't cook dinner while we're mad at him, Tiana."

"Mama, are you telling me you never cooked for daddy when you were mad at him?"

Eudora squinted her amused eyes, "Why did you think your daddy hated cheese sandwiches? That's all he ever got for dinner when I was mad."

Tiana rolled her eyes, "Well, I'm not doing that to Naveen." she looked to a pan of heated oil on the stove and started to place strips of dough in the oil to fry, "Besides, have you ever thought that maybe—just maybe—Naveen had a good reason of not wanting me to go to town with him?"

"Nope!" Eudora proudly admitted, remaining in strong skepticism with a hand to her hip, and took one of Tiana's buttermilk biscuits she'd found from a covered plate near the stove, the bread savory and crumbling to the touch of her mouth.

"Well, keep an open mind." Tiana began to smile, glancing to her biscuit-eating mother from the corner of her eye, "You liked him just fine when you met him."

"That was before he left us."

Tiana rolled her eyes as her mother went past her to the storage room for a jar of jam.

**O-O-O-O-O**

A tall narrow framed man sat at his office desk reading over a legal document for one of his upcoming property signings. His shorter partner, wearing a deep red bowtie, stood in a corner of their office, dipping a doughnut in a cold glass of milk. The stout man was ready to close the firm for the afternoon, desiring to take a leisure boat ride around a private lake in New Orleans, staring in boredom out of the company's window. The day had been slow, Thursdays for the Fenner brothers usually were.

Somone approaching the curb of their neighboring sidewalk caught the window gazer's eyes, "Terry."

The reading brother lowered the document he held in annoyance, the younger brother breaking the room's peace, his concentration as well, "Yes, Willard?"

"What's that mulatto doing coming 'cross the street?" Willard Fenner said, growing alert, his eyes refusing to break from the window, looking twice as arrogant and repulsed with the shadows of the blinds on his skin, seeing the deeper colored pedestrian, on a street mainly for whites in New Orleans.

The man's older brother became equally as curious, setting down his papers at his desk to join his spying brother at the window. Terry Fenner now saw who his brother was describing while they watched the darker toned pedestrian coming closer to their curb, "That's no mulatto…"

The head realtor declared, leaving the window to clean his desk for their presumed company.

Willard Fenner glanced to his brother from the window, "What you talkin' 'bout, Terry? I can see the boy's a mulatto with my own two eyes!" his plump pale hand motioned to the blinds.

"Have you checked the morning's newspaper?" Terry Fenner stood over his sibling's private desk and tossed down a thick helping of the city's latest news and gossip, a firm knocking soon sounding upon the partners' main teal doors. "Do a little readin' while I let our possible new client in." The thin brother straightened his fitted navy jacket and tie by a puzzled Willard's side, "Page four oughta bring you up to speed rather quickly."

Willard scratched the top of his balding brunette head, terribly muddled, as his older brother left for the entrance. He set down his milk and doughnut on his desk to turn the given newspaper to page four. The brother sat down in his business chair. Terry stood before the closed wooden doors, looking to himself at a nearby mirror on the wall to check his demeanor, forming a look to seem somewhat cross, curious, yet professional.

The realtor was ready to make an introduction to one of his biggest clients of his twenty years of realty, opening the door to his business, "Yes? How can I help you this afternoon, sir?" he greeted the young man in a casual way, pretending he thought he was lost, having no idea who the previously watched visitor could be.

"Hello. I'm here to discuss a property with the Fenner brothers."

"Well, you've come to the right place! Terry Fenner, head agent of Fenner Brothers' Realty!" the realtor stuck out his hand for a greeting, his tougher appearance melting into an eager smile, allowing the man at his door, who he personally found overly dressed, inside of his office. Fenner didn't think too much of the regal attire, fully aware of his visitor's status, "And you are?" he questioned the newcomer, making a short glance to his brother, reading the newspaper in the office's corner.

Willard the saw a photo of their new guest on page four with Eli LaBouff's only daughter, the published article discussing the possibilities of what could have broken the couple's engagement on the night of Mardi Gras. Willard fought a gasp, seeing Naveen's face, in the paper and in the flesh, nearly spitting out his ice cold milk. Composing himself, and visualizing only dollar signs, he rose from his business chair to take a proper stride to the other men.

"I'm...Mr. Naveen." the prince introduced in hesitance, shaking the older realtor's hand a second time. Naveen desired no favoritism…unless needed.

Willard frowned as he heard the prince's modesty, "Mr?!—"

Terry Fenner quickly elbowed his approaching younger brother, "This is my brother and partner, Mr. Fenner."

"Mr. Willard Fenner. Pleasure to meet you…Mr…Naveen…" the younger brother went along with Naveen's approach, fighting a skeptical look in his eyes.

"Mr. Naveen is interested in one of our properties."

"How marvelous!" a Southern Willard replied, forming a cheeky smile in the prince's view. "Care to sit down?"

The three walked to Terry Fenner's desk, Naveen reclining on the client's side in a leather seat.

"Comfortable, Mr. Naveen?" Terry smiled, inwardly plotting his strategy to sell Naveen multiple properties before sundown.

"Very. Thank you, Mr. Fenner."

"Splendid. These are new chairs of ours—imported from Europe." Fenner continued in detail, "Paris!"

"Wonderful. Now, I—"

"Fit for a king! …Wouldn't you agree, Mr. Naveen?" a hintful Willard winked his way, the older Fenner glaring down to his playful partner at his side.

Naveen made no comment to the joke, only giving a slight smile, "I'm interested in—"

"Can I offer you a glass of milk, Mr. Naveen? Maybe some coffee…or water? We also have doughnuts."

"Willard, Willard. Mr. Naveen is a man here on business." Terry hurriedly corrected, noticing the warming irritation in Naveen's eyes; the realtor couldn't allow the prince's millions to slip away, wanting his name signed to a fair portion, "Let the man explain his ventures now, shall we?"

Willard complied, his brother shooting him a warning gaze, but he found the sugar in the glazed and sprinkled doughnuts an asset to fuel Naveen's spontaneity in unnecessary property buying.

Terry Fenner cleared his throat, adjusting the reading lenses on his face, "What properties have caught your eyes here in the city, Mr. Naveen?"

"Just one."

"Just—" an outraged Willard Fenner restrained his throat before his outburst, shocked the pampered prince had such discipline, recollecting his appearance, "Which one, Mr. Naveen?" he crossed his hands over the work desk's surface with a cordial smile, finding one sale for he and his brother better than none, he supposed.

"I'd like to purchase the sugar mill on the river."

Terry was surprised, silently trying to find the proper words to steer Naveen to a more expensive location. Naveen kept an observant gaze to the strategic realtor, placing a finger to his lips, only breaking his gaze as the younger Fenner began to laugh.

"Oh-ho! Mr. Naveen, you don't want that ol' rundown sugar mill, do you? The place has cob webs, missing shingles, poss'ble mold…It's a real money pit! Tell us your future plans in New Orleans, and my brother and I will be happy to show you a less strenuous property, still supplying all you needs!"

Naveen wished he could give Tiana a better property for her restaurant, even one built from the ground, custom made: a first-class stage for the nightly entertainment, the gourmet kitchen of her dreams, with the best cooking appliances money could purchase, perfect lighting for the restaurant's signs, attracting street travelers and boat riders alike, furnished with the best tables, curtains, and seats, some fixtures hand-crafted by the most talented carpenters he knew from his father's kingdom. But now, Naveen was broke. He couldn't do these things for her, although willing. Tiana did seem to have her heart set on the idea for the sugar mill being the best setting, most likely because it was the faithful vision of her father.

The prince shook his head, "No. I want the sugar mill."

"Ah!" Terry Fenner chuckled, liking Naveen's persistence, "See, Willard, sometimes beauty is in the eyes of the beholder. You must have a big dream on your hands for this property, Mr. Naveen."

"Somethin' we don't see…" Willard added with a crude curve to his lips, his arms crossed.

"Now, Mr. Naveen, before we begin signing anything, would you like to take a ride to the mill for one last look—just to be sure? The mill's only a few minutes away from here by buggy."

Naveen realized the agents were serious of selling him the mill, "Wait, so the mill is still up for sale?"

The realty brothers began to chuckle, "Of course it is, Mr. Naveen! Why would you think otherwise?"

Naveen kept silent, hoping one of the brothers, growing more casual, Willard beginning to slouch, would say more of any of the mill's highest bidders.

"Heehee! No one of real money 'round here studying that ol' sugar mill!" Willard said, looking up to his quiet yet agreeing brother, "They're busy investing in stock trading, cotton, sugar, cattle, and building rent from housing." the brother began to scratch his full stomach, amused of Naveen's clear surprise as Terry handed the prince a financial summary of the mill, "No," the stout realtor shook his head, "the only one in New Orleans really on their head 'bout that place is a young colored woman."

Naveen immediately glance up from Terry Fenner's summary.

"Pretty little thing!" Willard quickly added of an unnamed Tiana, "Naïve though! Has dreams of turning that place into a restaurant or somethin' like that…" Willard could somewhat recall, unwrapping a piece of hard candy from its paper from his older brother's candy bowl.

"A girl with her looks is bound to get married, have children, and forget all about that ol' place in the next couple of years. She's better off where she's at." Terry nodded to his lip smacking brother, both turning their eyes back to Naveen across the desk, "We told her over the weekend the mill was sold—for her sake. You know how hard blacks have it here in the South." The head realtor implied with a self-righteous tone and countenance, straightening his posture in his seat, a satisfied smile on his mouth, unknowingly offending the same woman's new husband.

"Or anyplace, really!" added a smug Willard, chopping on another bite of candy, "Real shame, too! The gal's a good cook!" the man's mouth began to water, lemon candy and all, as he thought of Tiana's powdery beignets.

"The girl's lonely, poor, and only has her aging mother to count on to help her. She only has enough money for the down payment. She better just quit that dream for that mill and save that money for a rainy day." Terry felt more assured of himself, his own words dulling his conscience into deeper satisfaction, lying that the mill was sold.

Willard gave a sigh of pity, "She's bound to have 'em you know…bein' of her background."

A sprint of anger rushed over Naveen, the husband keeping silent in his seat, but covering a strong frown with his propped hand.

"We say all that, Mr. Naveen, to say yes, the mill is still up for sale." Terry concluded.

"So what do you say, Mr. Naveen? Will you sign?" Willard curled a grin, anticipating the prince's reply.

Naveen looked to the men before him quietly. He was witnessing the racial complexities of America for the first time, trying to place his frustration and the natural urge to defend his wife aside for the sake of obtaining her mill, resorting to a desperate plan as he sat with the secret absence of money in his pocket—a plan he vowed to never give in to as he sailed away from Maldonia's shore and palace, a short week prior. "Well, gentleman," broke or rich, Naveen was still a prince, crossing his legs with an unshakable appearance of strength and composure, "this is a planned business project with a partner."

"Ooh! A partner?" both brothers perked their shoulders, smelling twice as much money.

"Yes, therefore, I cannot sign the contract, you see, until he arrives to town."

"Oh, well, that's alright, Mr. Naveen. You can sign now, and we'll wait for your partner to drop by."

Naveen doubtfully perched his lips as the Fenners prepared the paperwork.

"Now, just for filing rituals, we need your name, address…"Willard paused, meeting the amber of Naveen's vexed eyes, picturing his luxurious palace, "place of birth, month of birth, so on and so on…" the realtor recited, holding a clipboard and lowering his silver glassed to the bone of his nose, "I take you're not from around here." Willard was ready for Mr. Naveen's charade to be over, clearly not another man off of the street.

"No, sir. I'm from Maldonia."

"Marvelous!" Willard decided to do the writing for Naveen, not wanting the royal to risk getting a cramp in his hands.

"The man can do his own writing, Willard." Terry glared, his brother focused on his penmanship, signing the known details of Naveen with his tongue sticking out with each stroke of his pen.

"Yes…of course…" Willard gave the clipboard to Naveen, "Now you and your partner will be paying in cash, I presume?"

Naveen hesitated in signing his name to the document's beginning papers. The Fenner brothers weren't the only men he'd have to persuade for the sugar mill.

"Gentleman," Naveen gave a twisted smile, charming dimples within his cheeks, "I believe it is best for me to wait to sign these papers." the prince set down the clipboard, sending the money hungry brothers into shock and following panic.

"Is ever'thing alright, Mr. Naveen?" Willard and Terry Fenner's startled pupils diminished in size, worried the standing prince would never return to their office. They followed Naveen to the main doors in a hasty pace.

"Everything is fine, Mr. Fenner…" Naveen turned back to assure, hearing Willard's steps, and looked to the thinner brother arriving at his side, "and Mr. Fenner… I just feel it would be bad etiquette to begin signing anything before my partner takes a look at the mill for himself."

"Yes…"the shorter brother slowly nodded, looking to Terry in a whisper, "He's a prince—proper in ever'thang down to the bottom line of a contract!" the man despised the thought of a delay, seeing Naveen as a big fish about to escape the brothers' net.

Terry Fenner, unlike his brother, stayed at peace. Being a man of patience, he cleared his throat, about to make an offer where Naveen would at least feel obligated to call again, "I'll tell you what, Mr. Naveen, talk things over with your partner, and I'll keep these papers stored away under lock and key just for you. The mill's yours as far as my brother and I are concerned."

"Thank you, Mr. Fenner…" Naveen smiled to Terry and lowered his eyes, "and Mr. Fenner." he felt proud of his quick thinking to buy time to get the rest of the money for Tiana's mill, "I'll be sure to make a call to my partner tonight."

"Wonderful, Mr. Naveen!" the taller Fenner held one of the front doors open for the prince to leave, "Here's our card." Terry took a business card for the realty from a running Willard returning with a copy from his business desk in a tired pant, giving the neatly printed card to Naveen. "We'll be waiting!"

"Goodbye, gentleman." Naveen gave a nod to the men and crossed the street of the realty company, planning to head back to the town's square, tucking away the Fenner's card in the fold of his doublet.

Willard looked up to Terry as the brothers went back inside of the office, "Think he'll call?"

"Of course, he'll call!" Terry confidently replied, sitting back in his leather brown business chair with a firm pink lipped smile.

"What about Ms. Brown? What if she stops by the office anytime soon?" Willard began to question, his tone sounding as if he was spreading scandalous gossip.

"She's welcome to stop by." Terry assured, in full contentment while reading over his original documents, looking up from the papers with a smirk to his sibling, "She missed the deadline to sign with us, anyhow!"

"But what if she finds out the mill's still up for sale? She'll know we lied!"

Terry took off his glasses, irritated by the man's unimportant concerns; he propped his chin with his hand at his desk, "What can that little colored gal do? Sue us? No. The blacks can't stand against us in court—not yet, thankfully. The law is on our side!" the white realtor continued to read his papers without an ounce of guilt.

Willard nodded his head, fully agreeing with his brother's perspective, reopening the room's blinds, "Can we close up the office now? I'd really like to ride the boat."

"Yes, Willard." Terry felt the same, finding Naveen's visit profitable, a sure sale, hopefully many more, and put away his half read documents for tomorrow's workday, "Fetch me one of t'em doughnuts while you go to the back, will you?"

"Sure thing, Terry!" the sibling went to the other office for his hat.

"Yes," the remaining Fenner pondered, "Miss Tiana will get over the loss of that sugar mill soon enough."

Rising from his desk chair as his brother returned, the Fenner brothers left their office for the afternoon, optimistic of their latest royal client.

* * *

**A/N: I plan on posting chapter four within the next two weeks. Brace yourselves, it's a two parter. Stay tuned, Froggies!**


	4. Chapter 4: Goodnight Cal

**Ch.4**

**Goodnight Cal's**

**Part One**

The evening crickets began to sing their evening songs. Bright fireflies shined over Eudora's front yard, giving light to the grass's sharp green blades swaying in the night's cool breeze. Some fireflies began to fly off the front porch, startled, as Tiana pulled away a closed curtain to look out into to her neighborhood's street, growing worried.

"Any sign of him yet?" her mother wondered, coming to the den with a damp kitchen towel, wiping her hands.

"Not yet…" Tiana sighed, drawing back the cream curtains, "Mama, I don't like the thought of Naveen being out this late…" she couldn't help but peek to the window again, the evening sky's light beginning to fade into their rich nightly shades of blues, Evangeline and Ray starting to shine, giving Tiana comfort, knowing they were watching over Naveen-wherever he was…

"Now, Babycakes," Eudora gently patted on Tiana's hand as the daughter's gaze kept hold on their street's view, "don't go assumin' the worst." the mother's face grew flat, "He's probably out partying somewhere."

"Now who's expecting the worse?"

Eudora remained quiet, considering the worst thing the newly married playboy could do overnight. Tiana released a heavy sigh, closing back her mother's curtains and crossing her hands. She began to pace the floor.

"Where did he tell you he was going?" Eudora asked, sitting down with tea to calm her own nerves down.

Tiana glanced to the couch, "He said to Lottie's— and the police station."

"The police station? Why on Earth would he go there?"

"Naveen has— had—" Tiana paused, "a valet that came with him from Maldonia."

"The one that started workin' with that fortune teller you killed?" Eudora said, recalling a man named Lawrence with the couple from breakfast, putting a hand to her hip.

"Mm-hmm. That's Lawrence, Mama." Tiana turned to the den's next wall, continuing her pace; nervous flutters ached within her stomach.

"Should it have taken him all evenin' to stop by the LaBouffs' and the prison like this?"

"No… That's why I'm worried." Tiana sat down next to Eudora, a heavy sigh blew from her chest, her mother resting a warm hand over hers, "Naveen doesn't know anything about the areas to stay away from this time of night." flashes entered Tiana's mind, fear striking inside, picturing violent gangs, itching for an easy target, and long white masks, belonging to the dreadful Ku Klux Klan.

"He'll be alright. If Naveen can navigate his way around this big city as a frog to find you all the way up on Charlotte's balcony, I'm sure he'd have a much easiest time traveling through New Orleans as a man." Eudora comforted, brushing across Tiana's hand with her gentle thumb.

"But he's no regular man. Someone could see him, recognize him, hold Naveen for ransom— money I could never pay and—"

"Shh!" Eudora gently held her child's face, "Hush. He'll be back here before you know it."

Tiana embraced her mother, her mind still racing, unable to calm her thoughts as Naveen wandered out in New Orleans' streets.

**O-O-O-O-O**

An older man took a relaxing sip of hot coffee, the steam rising to his nose; he set down the drink at the main desk and looked to the police station's next visitor, "Ms. LaBouff, I can assure you Mr. Gillies is locked in his prison as we speak." the tired officer did his best to explain for the fourth time, her five phone calls to the station since lunchtime not comforting enough.

"Did you check?" Charlotte answered, clinging nervously upon her necklace's pearls, trying to glance at the policeman's clipboard resting in his hands across the main counter.

"Yes, Ms. LaBouff. Our officers have closely watched for strange activities from Mr. Gillies all day. He's no longer someone you need to be concerned with."

"But Prince Naveen showed up to my family's estate this afternoon."

"Well, I'm sorry to hear that, miss, but our station isn't able to do anything about royalty showing up to your house for tea."

Offended, Charlotte frowned, beginning to raise her voice, "Is that what you think I do all day— drink tea and eat cookies?" the officer fought an eyeroll as Charlotte turned her head, a passing officer escorting a prisoner, a close match to Lawrence, including the man's stature, "I'll have you know, I host several high society functions and fundraisers for my neighbors and friends— to and from the home!"

"It's amazing you were able to find the time to call us all afternoon." the smug officer smiled.

A glare formed over the heiress' eyes, her nails dug into the little pink clutch in her hand.

"Ms. LaBouff, your father's had a long day. We best be heading back to the car." the family's faithful driver replied, seeing there wasn't anything for his boss to be concerned about; he was ready to give the soothing report to 'Big Daddy', Eli LaBouff, waiting for their return on police station's curb.

Charlotte turned to her father's chauffer, her cheeks red, fists balled, "I'm not going anywhere until someone explains to me who I really saw at my house!"

"Oof!" the overwhelmed driver tripped across his own scrambling legs, falling flat to his back upon the station's tiled white floor.

The watching officer shook his head from the main desk then glanced away, Charlotte continuing her tantrum, as he saw a man, dressed in a green suit, entering the station's front door.

Charlotte loudly gasped, repulsed, Naveen at the entrance, and pointed her powder pink nail in his direction, "Officer, that's him! Arrest that man!"

"Ms. LaBouff, I can't arrest Prince Naveen for simply walking into our station."

Charlotte faced the officer, "Do you remember everything my father and I told you the other night about Mr. Gillies? He wore a voodoo necklace to transform into the prince!" she abruptly shifted to Naveen, "Give me your neck!"

"Charlotte!" Naveen tensed, the woman charging his way.

The perturbed heiress hopped on Naveen's back, fighting the twirling man to get clear vision around his suit's collar, the rough squabble in the station's center.

"Ooo-hoo-hoo-hooo-ho…" the stressed policeman placed soft fingers to his head, having heard circulating rumors about the arguing couple's broken engagement, spreading all over town for the last two days.

The heiress yanked Naveen's ruffled curls, the sharp pull sensitive as fire, "Ahh!" the prince glared to the enraged woman over his back, "Charlotte!" a petite fist pounded his cheekbone, then his chin; he took the beatings, not wanting his wife's best friend to injure herself from a fall. "I'm here to see Lawrence!"

"Not tonight, buddy!" Charlotte's attacks continued to fly, screaming ensued.

"Charlotte?" Eli LaBouff heard the shouting, the man's daughter's included, echoing loud and clear to his Packard parked on the city's street. Looking to his watch, the confounded millionaire decided to investigate, opening the station's front door, "Charlotte!"

"For a Southern belle, this is very unlady like!" Naveen yelled to the woman above, her fists and feet soaring like a wild woman, tugging his lashes and mussing his pitiful brown curls, a stray knee to his gut.

"Charlotte Anne LaBouff! Get off of that man's back this instant!" the collected commotion stunned many, officers around the station arriving to see it all for themselves.

Naveen sighed in relief, Charlotte's torture ending, as she heard her father by the door, "Daddy?" her blazing blue eyes now softened, her hunched frame dwindling, "Daddy, I can explain my violent, out of character behavior."

"Hmm!" Naveen voiced a doubtful bellow beneath.

Charlotte glared to the back of his head then looked to Eli, "Daddy, this isn't the prince."

"Yes, it is Charlotte. I talked to Naveen for the last five minutes outside." her father looked to the staring eyes around them, considering it best to talk alone, "Get in the car, I'll explain later."

Charlotte's bashful gaze fell to a frowning Naveen. Still on the prince's back, she gave a wide toothy grin and crawled down.

Eli came to Naveen as his daughter's feet found balance over the floor, "Your highness, we'll be—"

Charlotte let out a sudden high pitched scream, her squeak startling the ten people, present, one officer spilling the hot coffee within his mug. Mr. LaBouff and Naveen glanced to the heiress, puzzled looks upon their features.

Charlotte put a hand to her face, her eyes stored with surprise, "If you're really Naveen…that means…" she sucked in a loud gasp, her shoulders and arms tensing, the realization becoming clear, for her, the most important truth of all, "Tia!" Charlotte bolted out the station's door.

Eli's gaze darted to his driver, "Stop my daughter before she starts runnin' on water!"

The driver ran after the excited woman, chasing her out the door. Naveen heaved a breath, happy to see Charlotte's departure, a honking car for a running Charlotte ringing to the men's ears.

"My apologies, Prince Naveen."

"It's alright, Mr. LaBouff."

"Shall I give you a ride to my estate for your bags when you're done? I'm sure Tiana is worried about you. It's the least I can do."

"Thank you, Mr. LaBouff. I won't be long." Naveen assured, leaving the man's side to speak with a fanning officer, still recovering from Charlotte's multiple outbursts. The officer greeted Naveen, shaking the prince's hand, and led him through a door to the station's prison.

Eli walked back to the station's entrance, peeking to the end of their street, a car horn making a dragging honk, "Charlotte Anne! Get you tuckus back in that car!"

**O-O-O-O-O**

Lawrence Gillies sat on the bed's edge within his cold prison cell. The cell was poorly lit, and the ex-valet often felt a draft through the nights, his tattered gray blanket little use. He had only been a prisoner for two days and was already regretting the deeds he had committed. Lawrence started to clench his teeth. It was only a matter of time before King Amar, ruler of Maldonia, received word on what the servant attempted to do to the crown prince. But no. Lawrence released an eased breath.

Dr. Faciller still had Naveen somewhere locked away, or at least, Lawrence thought the witch doctor did. He balled his hands in tight anxious curves, the thought over Naveen's escape. But no. Even if Naveen did escape, he could never change back to his princely form. Dr. Facillier told him that Naveen could only do so one way— to kiss a princess. Lawrence chuckled, happily tossing his head, an evil grin forming, curled lines rising over his cheeks. No princess would ever stoop so low to kiss Naveen, a slimy disgusting frog. Besides, there weren't any princesses in the United States!

Lawrence's evil smile dimmed into a satisfied one. He crossed his palms, placing them behind his balding gray head. He was perfectly safe. The older valet may be imprisoned, granted, even in a foreign land, but for the first time in almost twenty years, he was free—free of Prince Naveen. By the looks of it, Lawrence would be free from the bothersome, selfish, idiotic royal for the rest of his life. His court hearing was tomorrow, and the LaBouffs didn't press charges that would require a lifetime's imprisonment. If the valet remained polite and apologetic, playing the part as an innocent victim to Faciller's schemes, the judge would be sure to give him a fairer sentence.

Everything Lawrence had seen in the past week—tarot cards, magic transformations, witch doctors, and shadows, would be a distant memory. Who was around to tell the story against him? Lawrence's contentment was broken, two officers coming around his corner, one holding keys, the silver set rattling louder the closer the men approached. The ex-valet was getting used to this. The men would go by his cell to another criminal, as they always did, taking them God only know where, some of them never returning. To Lawrence's surprise, the officers in blue stopped at his cell tonight, frowning in silence.

Lawrence tensed his shoulders, uncomfortable by the men's stern faces, his new grin unstable, "Gentlemen."

"Come with us Mr. Gilles." one officer spoke as the other unlocked Lawrence's barred entrance, soon placing handcuffs to the confused man's wrists.

"Wha…" the prisoner looked to the officers as they led him away from the peace among his drafty cell and lumpy mattress, "I thought my hearing was tomorrow."

"It is."

"Then where are you taking me?" Lawrence observed the officers' silence, continuing to walk down the prison's halls, "Where are you taking me?" Lawrence asked, his chains shaking, the men tugging him along by his arms, "I demand to know!"

Leaving the man in a dull colored room, alone, or at least he thought, Lawrence turned his gaze from the closing door, shocked by his new surroundings: a visitor.

Naveen was sitting at a wooden table, in the center of the room, the man's amber eyes kindling an angered look, seeing the betraying servant for the first time since Dr. Faciller's death.

"Your majesty!" Lawrence's fair complexion paled, the servant falling to his knees. Fearful for his life, he began crawling toward the prince, bound by his glinting silver handcuffs, searching for forgiveness, but was halted by onlooking officers guarding the royal. Lawrence lifted his saddened eyes, amazed by Naveen's human form— young, charming, and composed as ever, policemen continuing to restrain him, "I am so sorry."

"I did not come for apologies, Lawrence. I came here to learn the addresses needed to write to my father's palace."

"What?" the valet was stunned, offended even, frowning, "You only came here to get answers from me?" he shook his head while his full cheeks fluttered, turning his tilted head from the prince, his nose high, "Well, I won't give them to you!"

"Shall we repeat that to the chief, Mr. Gilles?" an officer spoke aside the man.

Lawrence's shoulders tensed, perching his lips, returning to Naveen, "Fine! I'll do it." a third officer handed him paper and an ink pen, "After twenty years, I'd thought you'd know how to write a letter to your own father…" the prisoner grumbled, scribbling.

"Why would I? The servants always wrote them for me." Naveen responded, a twisted mouth, repulsed by Lawrence's touch, chilling, as he took the addresses and names needed.

Lawrence tossed his eyes, "How are you human again?" he bitterly whispered.

"Thank you for your cooperation, Mr. Gilles. Now, if you'll excuse me," Naveen rose from his seat, "I have a letter to write," he approached the room's gray painted doors, Lawrence's eyes still upon him as he looked back, "and a wife to go home to."

"A wife?" Lawrence released a large gasp, his spine paralyzed with shock, "How did you—Who did you—"

"It's time to return to your cell, Mr. Gillies." a passive officer lifted the heavy man with a partner.

"Naveen." Lawrence shifted his head, the prince walking with officers in the long hall's opposite direction, planning to never face the valet again, "Naveen!" he called louder, his own officers aggressively pulling him back to the cold lonesome prison, "Naveeeen!" the steel door slammed, cutting the sorrowful wail in a muffle.

Twenty years. Naveen balled his hand.

**O-O-O-O-O**

Servants dressed in turquoise clothing entered, one by one, into a lavishly designed bedroom, the colors tan and gold. Two men walked in unison past the rest, their eyes upon the glass windows, shedding the curtains, allowing the sun's appearance, warm bright lights hitting: the golden picture frames, lurking over the tall walls, various mirrors, big and small, crafted with precious metals, woods, and gems, and finally, the bed, comforting their sleeping king. Four other servants rushed to the bedroom's entrance, revealing an extra visitor. She was a vision. All ten servants bowed to her, her silk turquoise dress shimmering in glitter across its layered chiffon, a light blue sash encircling her shoulder to her petite waist. The woman gave an approving nod to the bowed men as she passed, elegant and dignified, each step she took, a small golden tiara on her head, her locks long, silver, and curled, a ruby shade amongst her gentle lips.

The beautiful woman gave a hintful nod and a comical wink to two servants, waiting over the bedsides, her husband continuing to snore the day away. The servants saw their queen, giving her mischievous smiles, abruptly peeling away the custom large bed's warm covers as their fellow servants began to clean. A tall man opened the balcony's large white and golden doors, a warm summer-like breeze turning the private bedroom's air. King Amar groaned from the 'rude' awakening, the windows' peering lights hurting his startled tired eyes, also finding the warm breeze terribly cold across his bare tan skin. He scrunched his dark brown eyes and clung to his heavenly plush silk pillow for dear life. His masculine frame rolled into a graceless ball.

"Morning, darling," Queen Mira smiled then looked to a golden clock, chiseled with Maldonian branches and flowers, set on their room's wall, "or rather…afternoon." she twisted her lips on the husband's lazy day. She sat on the delicate mattress' edge, kissing her yawning husband's cheek.

"Mira, please—not in from of the servants." the husband softly chided, his eyes darting to an approaching servant, cleaning the king's nightstand, the feather duster splashing the night's debris, "Must you do that now?! My word!" King Amar coughed, "Why is there so much dust? They do this every morning!" Amar was fond to begin his days with a gripe: there was always something wrong for his excellence to mention, nothing getting by him—except his own son!

"Darling, you've been in bed for the last fourteen hours."

"It's my rare day off." Amar told the queen, releasing a content sigh, sitting back against two freshly fluffed pillows, propped by his servants, "Is this how Naveen felt every morning—doing nothing?"

"Afternoon!" his correcting wife interrupted, frowning.

He ignored her as servants continued to dust their wooden and golden dressers, glass tables, vanities, and mirrors, "No wonder the boy did it so often." he pondered, stretching, awakening his refreshed bones.

Two servants started to reach for King Amar's arms, thinking he was ready to be taken from bed to bathe and dress.

"Not yet! Not yet! Faldi Faldonza! Can't you see I'm still talking to the queen?!" Amar brushed the men away, delicate strokes with his strong hand.

"Darling, if you want to hear from Naveen, just write to him."

"Why? We banished him from the palace a week ago. There's no need for me to write him. I already know how the boy is—still as unaccomplished as the day we cut him off!"

"Amar, Naveen has some skills. He's an excellent ukulele player, he's friendly…He can speak fluently in over four languages." Queen Mira listed, a proud smile on her lips.

Amar turned to her, his gaze baffled, a scoff—she should know better, "He's accomplished all of those things solely to seduce the unsuspecting whores of Europe!"

"They're still accomplishments."

King Amar leaned back onto his pillows in a groan.

"No, no, no!" Mira pulled his pajama's silky collar, "Remember, you promised to have a picnic with Ralphie and me by the lake today."

"Right." Amar recalled, hunching his shoulders in a reluctant agitated breath, causing his wife's glare; the king forced a happy smile, "Where is Ralphie?"

Mira's face became uncertain, scrunching her nose, "He's either at tap lessons or tennis lessons…"

"Tap lessons?! Didn't I tell you to hire him a horse riding instructor?"

"Darling, Ralphie's too little!" Mira cheerfully raised her shoulders, loving their six-year-old baby considerably.

"Hmph!" Ready for the day, Amar stuck out his legs, servants rushing over to his feet to receive him, "As soon as Ralphie gets taller," multiple servants placed upon the king's fine turquoise robe and slippers, "I want him out of that American tippity-tap—"

"Oh, darling…"Mira sadly shook her head, loving her son's tap performances.

"And I want the child strapped to the best Maldonian thoroughbred money can buy!" the king then looked around to the royal dressers, "Thank you, everyone."

Mira smirked, placing a hand to her cheek, covering a laugh. The husband's gray hair was a mess, lopsided, curls leaning every direction he slept on overnight.

Amar thought he was the best dressed man in the room, "Mira, when Naveen was Ralphie's age, I had to stop him from riding the wild royal colts in the stables!" he ignored his wife's groan, mentioning their 'banished' eldest son once more, "And now, Ralphie's only interested in tennis and…tappity-tap?!"

"But Amar, Ralphie's so cute with his little tap shoes on!"

"Mira!"

"I don't want my baby boy getting hurt!" she bellowed, her sash flying while standing defensively from the bed.

Amar's eyes grew curious, his mind alerted, "Does Ralphie want to ride horses or doesn't he?!"

"I don't care!" Mira folded her arms, "He's not getting near one of those things until ten!"

"Ten?! Mira, are you out of your mind?! Naveen was seven when he—"

"Oooh!" Mira growled and shook balled fists at her sides.

King Amar faced his wife in irritation, "So you smother our second born in guilt of how little attention we paid to our first?"

"Yes! Naveen wouldn't have fled the country if we did!"

"Try, 'Naveen wouldn't have become a womanizing, self-absorbed drunk—"

"My son is not a drunk!" Mira loudly roared, a curled frown, startling the cleaning servants.

"Do not raise your voice at the king! " Amar boomed and puffed out his chest, eyes darkly glaring.

"Do not raise your voice about the queen's children to the queen!"

Amar got smug, smiling, "Shall I call one of our servants to discuss our disappointment of a son instead? Galileo?" the worried servant dropped his cloth by a marble table, hearing his name, having no desire to get involved in the couple's dispute.

"Pay him no mind, Galileo!" Mira tossed her hand toward Amar, assuring the servant to keep working: and he did, swiftly retreating—to the king's closet.

Mira started to cry, burying her teary ocean blue eyes into her palms.

Amar slapped his forehead, "Faldi Faldonza, woman! What's wrong now?"

"You sent my little boy—"

"Naveen's twenty years old! He's a grown man!"

"You sent him to one of the most racist states of the Americans—where they hang innocent people from trees because of the shade of their skin!"

"I didn't send him! He went on his own!" Amar froze mid-shout, now puzzled, "Mira…how do you know where Naveen is?"

His wife turned to a close vase, tending to its white roses, needing a moment to think of a really good lie.

"Mira Nicolette Angelique—"

The queen faced him with her water-filled eyes, "I hired a private detective!"

Amar and the servants gasped, their faces identical: gaped mouths and rounded eyes, "Woman, are you mad?!"

"He left the palace without telling us where he was going … I took a lucky guess and sent one of Maldonia's detectives to—"

"Mira, of all of the things you have done for the sake of our children, this has got to be—"

"Focus on the important thing I just told you—our son, de crenna pruto o Maldonia, is in a violent city full of racial barriers!"

"Mira, do you really think I'd let Naveen go anywhere I thought he'd get himself into trouble?"

"Yes! You have all his life!"

Amar poked a fierce pout, "That is enough, Mira!" he pointed to her, his vision turning red, the two royals face to face with anger.

A knock sounded on their doors.

"No one stop cleaning!" the bitter king ordered the frightened servants, all nodding, quickly resuming at their stations. Going to answer the new visitor on his own, everyone, even his wife, gasped, an action undone for such a high-status ruler. "What?!"

Amar's temper startled his head valet, "Your majesty!" he fearfully greeted, his prim tie flinching from its place. Clearing his throat, he collected his thoughts; he spoke again, calmly, "Your majesty." lightly bowing his head.

Amar sighed, "I'm sorry, Philipe." the king raised his brow and shortly looked to the clock, "I thought I gave you the afternoon off today. You deserve a break as well."

"Thank you, sir," the valet's shoulders rested, "and yes, you did," he noted, "but I wanted to deliver this piece of news personally before returning to my chambers."

Amar became intrigued, crossing his arms, "Well, what is it, Philipe?"

Mira quietly passed by a servant, choosing socks to lie over Amar's bed, listening to Philipe with her husband at the door, lifting her arched brow.

"The servants on the first level of the palace received a long distance letter…from—"

"New Orleans?" Mira's eyes happily shined.

Philipe was impressed: the queen was always so accurate, so all-knowing, "Yes, my lady! How did you know?"

King Amar glared to Mira's smug appearance, her gaze to their fine crested ceiling. The king was about to speak back to his head valet.

"When?!" the eager queen shoved him aside.

"The prince's letter came this morning, majesty…shortly after the time you left the breakfast table to take the little prince to tap." Philipe recounted, smiling, seeing Ralphie as a nephew.

"Amar, open it!" Mira instructed, touching the husband's arm in haste.

The proud king frowned, handing back the sealed envelope to the valet, marked with the palace's seal, "Thank you, Philipe, for the message, but we have no desire to read Naveen's letter."

Philipe's gaze cut to an enraged Mira, "Are you sure, King Amar? I was told Naveen— Excuse me—his royal highness, was quick to send it here."

Mira felt a knot in her throat, clasping her delicately jeweled hands.

Amar looked from Mira's concerned eyes, meeting Philipe's, sober, "Does he need money?"

"Well, I..I'm not sure. He insists the letter only be read by you."

Amar concluded, a nod, "He needs money."

"Then, give him some." Mira pleaded, touching his shoulder.

"Absolutely not. The boy needs to find his own way."

"But, your highness—"

Amar wouldn't hear it, "I am the king; my word is law. Enjoy your afternoon off, Philipe." the man slammed back his door.

"Amar!" Mira shrieked, putting a hand to her mouth, worried for her son.

"Mira, mi amor, it is for Naveen's own good." the king brushed her arms, "It is time for him to learn how the real world is."

Mira sighed, holding herself, fighting a chill.

Amar place a hand to the nape of his neck, "No, we didn't spend the time with Naveen he deserved, but we spoiled him with our wealth, hurting him even more. He needs to learn to take care of himself."

Mira was silent.

"Mira?"

The shorter woman frowned, "He learns how to take care of himself simply to return to a palace as king where he doesn't have to take care of himself!" she found Amar's decision foolish, leaving the man with their room's servants to find Ralphie; the doormen held the bedroom's doors, bowing before the queen. Mira slammed them on her exit.

Amar sighed, now looking back to his valets, staring, "My bath?"

The men scrambled, forgetting to draw the king's bath during the royal quarrel. Amar rolled his eyes and waited on the couch, a rushing servant falling near his feet, the bath salts whirled to a tumble.

**O-O-O-O-O**

Tiana entered back into the kitchen, nervously biting her nails. It was nearly nine o' clock.

"Enjoy that nail-biting habit while it lasts, Tiana." Eudora spoke at her sewing table, adding stitches to her latest creation, "Now that you're a princess, you'll have to find another way to cope with your nerves."

Tiana looked her way, "I'm pretty sure you're sitting right over there just as worried about Naveen as I am. You only sew this late when you're nervous, Mama."

"I'm not worried. I'm workin'." Eudora denied the daughter's cunning observation and glanced to some current fabric choices amid her table, "Hmph!" she chose a pink ribbon within her reach, adding it to her design, "I know Naveen's able to take care of himself out there."

"Even if he has no idea how dangerous it is—a man his skin color— to be out 'round here?"

Eudora paused in sewing and looked up with defensive eyes, "So explain to me why you, a negro, excuse me—a negro woman— goes out nearly nightly for almost three years now to work at Cal's diner?"

"Mama, you already know why. I'm trying to…Well," Tiana held her arms, mentally correcting herself, "I _was_ trying to save up money to pay for the sugar mill."

Eudora dropped her current piece as she heard her daughter's defeated tone, turning Tiana's way at the kitchen's window, "What do you mean by 'was' ?"

Tiana sighed; she couldn't hide it from her mother, anyhow, "Mama, I didn't sign the papers with the Fenners."

"Why—because you became a frog?" the mother had to suppress her remaining doubts, the story so difficult to believe.

"No." Tiana shook her head then briefly closed her eyes, "I was outbid."

"Oh, Babycakes." Eudora was distraught, putting a hand to her red lips.

"Some rich white man must've bought the place instead. They paid the Fenners in full…on the spot."

Eudora rose from her sewing chair, "Baby, I am so sorry." She gave a loving hug, aching, knowing how much the mill connected her to James.

Tiana shut her eyes, comforted for a moment by her mother's warmth, soon pulling away.

"So what are you going to do? …You're a princess now… but a broke one, I suppose…"Eudora pondered, Tiana shaking her head amused, "Well, you're a bright girl. You could always go get a higher payin' job somewhere in the city—a full time job!" she nodded, trying to cheer her up.

"Mama, I'm still going to have my restaurant." Tiana wasn't giving up that easily.

"But the mill—"

"I know the mill's been sold, but, Mama," Tiana let out a breath, her mind beginning to turn; there were still so many possibilities, "I could rent out a place to get started, or I could by some land somewhere and one day build my restaurant there."

"If you can find some agents willing to sell or rent out to you." Eudora coldly twisted a mouth.

Tiana playfully narrowed her eyes, pestered by her mother's doubts. She glanced down to the fabrics and shapes of clothing stretched on the sewing table, "What's this?" the young woman held onto a small pink hat.

"Oh," Eudora chuckled, quickly taking it from her hands, "It's nothing."

"Which one of your friends is having a baby?" Tiana then noticed a cotton onesie, Eudora wincing; her daughter smiled, "How cute is this?" she laughed, propping the soft white onesie over her chest, admiring its tiny size.

"I'm glad you like it, sweetheart." Eudora now grinned, her eyes wide with pride, snatching the second item, resting in her seat to finish her work.

Tiana studied her mother's silence and repeated her question, "Who's pregnant, Mama?"

"Hmm?"

Tiana crossed her arms with a knowing smirk, "Well, I hate to break it to you, Mama, but I'm the complete opposite from pregnant."

"You can change that now, you know."

"Not tonight!" Tiana sang back, popping into the home's hallway.

Eudora stopped her sewing, seeing Tiana leave, "Girl, where are you going?"

Tiana peeped back into the den's doorframe and smiled, "I'm almost there, Mama." she answered and left Eudora's sight in a warm hum.

Eudora shook her head, hearing Tiana's humming as she closed the door to her bedroom; the mother looked above with a pleading look, "This girl better get that restaurant soon. I ain't gettin' any younger." and the seamstress completed her third piece—a white baby hat with an obnoxious large pink bow.

* * *

**A/N: Thank you all so much for being patient with me in my uploading. I'm writing ahead, several chapters in. So believe me, the chapters are coming! As for this chapter, "Goodnight Cal's", this was part one. Stay tuned for part two— coming soon! 'Til next time, Froggies!**

**Here's the new glossary. It's a short one…this time! *winks***

**1\. De Crenna pruto **(Maldonian): the crown prince

**2\. O ** (Maldonian): of

**3\. Mi amor * **(French): my love

* = repeated term


	5. Chapter 4: Goodnight Cal's Pt2

**A/N: Here it is—the second part of chapter four! Reviews always welcome. Hop to it! **

**Ch.4**

**Goodnight Cal's**

**Part Two**

Eli's driver assisted Naveen with his luggage bags down the LaBouffs' sidewalk. The two exited the wealthy estate's iron gates for the waiting Packard on the street's curb. Charlotte peeked outside her home's front doors, ready to travel with the prince and her driver to Tiana's.

"Charlotte." Eli LaBouff had a serious expression upon his face and sobriety within his voice, stopping his daughter in her tracks before she could rush out to the porch, warmly lit by mounted lanterns.

"Daddy. Ready to go?"

"Close the door for a moment, pumpkin."

The heiress complied while Naveen and their driver continued loading the car's trunk. Charlotte gave her father a questioning stare as his heavy footsteps approached the foyer.

He lightly tugged upon his cream suit's jacket before speaking, "Now, you know how I feel about you going to Tiana's side of town this time of night…"

"Daddy, I want to see Tia." she said with a desperate whine, crossing her hands in a plea.

"I know you do, Charlotte. So do I, but, darlin'—"the man heard the other men's returning shoes, their surfaces scraping the sidewalk's cement as they walked toward his porch, "everyone's safety comes first! None of y'all need to leave!" he quietly whispered.

"But Daddy, it's their wedding night!" Charlotte's whispers replied, a strong Southern rasp, glaring to her father, finding his notions far from romantic.

Mr. LaBouff lightly gasped, hearing Naveen and his driver walking up the stairs; he was running out of time to reason, "You know there have been sightin's of the Klan 'round here this time of night!" Charlotte's innocent blue orbs turned to the closed doors, reluctance filling slowly within, "Now, go to your room, call Tiana, wish her goodnight, and tell her you'll see her first thing in the mornin'." Eli ordered while ignoring his daughter's warm pink pout as Naveen and the driver entered the house.

"Yes, Daddy." Charlotte sadly walked up the elaborate wooden staircase leading to her bedroom.

"Hmph!" Mr. LaBouff gave a proud nod, as if he were praising himself for resisting the heiress' pleas, speaking under his breath as the young woman disappeared, "Why else does she think I bought them those little gold phones on her twelfth birthday?"

"Mr. LaBouff," Naveen now spoke, unsure what the man was mumbling about at the bottom of the stairs, and came to his side, "Is Charlotte not coming with us to see Tiana?"

"No, son, not tonight." The millionaire heard a doorslam from upstairs, "We're stopping by first thing tomorrow."

"Yes, sir." the prince nodded, his attire now changed: wearing a white shirt and tan colored pants; he was about to exit the front door, Mr. LaBouff's driver close behind.

Mr. LaBouff bit his lip in concern as the two turned away, "Say, Naveen?"

"Yes, Mr. LaBouff?" the young man curiously lifted a thick dark brow, pausing beside the mansion's threshold.

"It's rather late, and… you know I have a lot of extra guest space around here if you found it best to go to Mrs. Tiana's in the morning." The man tried to give subtle hints, thinking for Naveen's safety more so than his white car driver, but at least he had provided the employee a gun.

Naveen's eyes swelled, indicating he found the suggestion a horrible idea, "No, Mr. LaBouff, I couldn't. Tiana's been expecting me back home for hours." the new husband felt awful, placing a palm across the rear of his neck, "I have to go, but thank you for your hospitality."

"Of course, Naveen. Anytime." Mr. LaBouff smiled then gave a cluing gaze to his nodding chauffer, the employee silently promising to keep the Maldonian prince safe, shutting the door.

Naveen looked up to the stars while he stood on the porch, seeing Ray and Evangeline, their silver shapes shining in full glory side by side, smaller stars hailing around them. Naveen sighed; the sky's sunny appearance had dramatically altered since leaving Tiana and Eudora's much earlier that afternoon. He expected to receive the biggest lecture of his life when he got back.

Mr. LaBouff's driver came out to the porch, "Ready to go, your highness?"

"It's alright to call me Naveen." he assured with a warm smile.

"I'll keep that in mind, your highness." The proper driver was enjoying the prince's company, never being around royalty before; he didn't mind the formality at all.

The prince chuckled and followed him to Mr. LaBouff's car.

**O-O-O-O-O**

Tiana hummed with a smile while dressing in her bedroom. She hoped Naveen could get home before she had to leave. If Tiana thought too much about all the dangerous places Naveen could be right now, she'd end up missing another shift at Cal's and crying herself with worry over her bed. She zipped up her teal work dress and began to refresh her ponytail's appearance, applying a soft bristled brush and soothing hair oil to her bouncy pitch black curls. She had almost completed her look at her dresser's mirror then happily gasped as sharp ringing chimed from her small gold and white phone, resting on her nightstand. It was a personal phone, a direct line, Eli had purchased for Tiana to call Charlotte anytime she desired, the fanciest possession she owned. Tiana sprinted across her patterned rugs, excited to tell 'Lottie' all the details about how she and Naveen became human again.

Tiana wouldn't be able to tell her everything tonight. The trolley for her shift would be on her street in another twenty minutes. She couldn't afford to miss it.

Tiana answered with a big grin, "Lottie!"

Charlotte gasped, happiness flooding her eyes, "Tia!" she repeated lively slaps to her her lap, overjoyed, "Is it true? Is it true? Are you human again, dumplin'?"

"It's true, Lottie."

heavily sighed from the main floor, petting his sleeping dog, as Charlotte's piercing high shriek carried across his mansion through the ceilings. Tiana chuckled, sitting down for a short rest on her welcoming bed.

"Oh, Tia! I'm so happy!" the best friend added to her screech, now laying horizontal on her stomach across her warm pink comforter, kicking her shoeless little foot in the air, "Tell me ever'thin', darlin'! Naveen just left the house a few minutes ago—headin' your way."

Tiana's eyes brightened, her shoulders rising with happiness and relief, "So he's alright?" putting a hand over her thudding heart.

"Of course! And don't you worry. Lincoln is a straight shooter this time of night if any of those southern cowards try anything funny with them!" Charlotte sat up in her canopy bed's center, striking a confident pose while clinging to the gold phone's handle, "It makes me sick how people can dress up like monsters in the middle of the night, calling it holy, and smile right in every innocent person's face during the day!" Tiana was unable to get a word in, Charlotte carrying on, twisting and posing every new sentence and pause, "I wanted to come see you in person tonight, Tia, but Daddy kept going on and on about how it wasn't safe. I swear, the nerve of him sometimes. The only risk we'd be takin' coming to see you tonight is gaining another five pounds!" she jokingly tossed her hand, "I know you've been cookin' for your mama today since you came back. Please tell me you made cornbread, darlin'. I want a slice when Daddy and I come see you at breakfast tomorrow."

"Cornbread for breakfast?" Tiana was amused.

Charlotte smacked her lips, "Don't pretend like you've never done it, Tia!" she dreamily placed a hand across her cheek, imaging the requested dish's sides, "Ooh! And with a little bacon and cheese grits…"

The listening woman rolled her eyes, a short giggle escaping, then touched her flat stomach, "Girl, don't make me hungry. I have a shift in an hour."

"What?" Charlotte stopped her rushing thoughts, crossing her mind in lightning speeds, and sat back up on her bed, "You're going to Cal's—on your wedding night?!"

"Now, Lottie—" Tiana didn't have time for a speech, hearing Charlotte's squeaking mattress; the heiress was probably about to get in a more comfortable pose on her bed.

Charlotte propped three well-feathered pillows in a stack at her bed's head to lie on, "Now," she was comfortable to continue, "as a Southern lady of virginal status, I have no right to discuss the personal relations between a man and woman in the bedroom." Charlotte's lips perched a sly grin, "But since you are my best friend, and I consider the topic to be more of a gossipy friendly heart to heart, I see no reason why I can't overlook my status and give you my solid advice: don't go to work."

"Thank you for the opinion, Lottie."

"Opinion?" Charlotte repeated, "Now, dumplin', I shall overlook my status as a Southern lady once more to tell you in better detail what you should be doin' right now to prepare for the well-experienced man on his way to you home and bedroom door—that I previously stated is on his way as of—" she glanced to the round golden clock upon her nightstand, "ten minutes ago and counting!" she proudly smiled. However, Charlotte could now picture Tiana either rolling her eyes or shaking her head in disapproval.

Tiana, indeed, shook her head as she heard the friend's recited time frame, putting down her hairbrush to retie her hair for work.

"You know I have my extensive collection of those bad books I've been hidin' from Daddy for the last year—in my little pink shoebox," the blonde shortly giggled, "and I think you should go to your dresser, put on the best bra you've got, and—"

"Lottie, I am wearin' my best and only bra right now—under my uniform—and I am going to work. You can't stop me."

"Well, maybe I can't, but Naveen can." Charlotte implied; the newlywed was doomed for a passionate night once the handsome prince got home.

"Not if I'm about to head out the door!"

"You're really going to work tonight?"

"Charlotte, no one's havin' sex 'round here! We're in my mama's house!" Tiana lowly frowned.

"So? Wait until Mrs. Eudora falls asleep!" Charlotte couldn't find the issue, "But you'll have to be quiet…and with a man like Naveen, I'll doubt you'll be—"

"Goodbye, Charlotte."

The woman in pink heard a swift click, "Tia? Tia!" Charlotte huffed, "Oooh!" she hung her phone back upon its hook, "That girl is going to get an ear-full of me tomorrow at the table! I can tell you that!" Charlotte now imagined Tiana sliding on her flat heeled shoes and gathering a light sweater within her closet, accompanying a quick pace from her bedroom. The blonde belle got off her bed with her pink silk nightgown and bath towels to go shower before a good night's rest.

Tiana sighed after ending her phone call and gazed to her closet. She rose from her mattress, sliding on her flats, needing a light sweater for the cool night's breeze, making her choice from a modest selection. She headed for her bedroom door, her quick feet suddenly pausing. Tiana glanced down to her pearl wedding ring and looked back to her golden phone and nightstand. She walked back to her bedside, kneeling down to the bottom drawer, grabbing a sheet of paper and ink pen before leaving the trolley for Cal's.

**O-O-O-O-O**

Lincoln stood quiet and prim next to Mr. LaBouff's vehicle at a curb in the city. Cars' headlights brightly shined as they sped by upon the street, several representing the finest models and car brands money can buy. Charlotte made her weekly stops here for brunches, lunches, and shopping. Buildings around the chauffeur sported gleaming streetlights every few feet over the sidewalk, making it difficult to remember one wasn't visiting the various shops during the day. Lincoln gave a polite greeting to a husband and wife, walking past the man's car to their own nearby; the couple made a late night stop at the local drug store.

Lincoln found a grime spot bound on his chrome rearview mirror's surface as the young couple drove away; he took out a soft handkerchief to wipe the smudge clean. He gave a satisfied smile into the flawless mirror's reflection then frowned: young men, boisterous and somewhat drunken, exiting the same drugstore further down the street. Lincoln recognized the main one, blonde, the tallest within the group, the one all the others easily gravitated towards, his open arrogance causing the chauffeur to conceal a sharpening scowl.

A second among them with dark brown hair, shorter but his appearance just as fair, noticed Lincoln standing at the sidewalk before getting into his friend's car, nudging him, "Hey, David." his accent was different from the others, living the first half of his life up north.

The man turned as his own chauffeur held the car's doors for the others.

The dark haired friend motioned his head, "Since when does Eli LaBouff allow his help to be out this time of night?"

The light haired blonde crafted an entertain look upon his features and took a quick sip from his alcohol's glass bottle.

His friend snatched the ale, an irritated grimace over his lips.

"Oh, Jebidiah!" the other man jokingly whined; his friend was no fun.

"You were bold for even taking this in the drugstore." the darker haired man replied, eyeing the bottle's last content, America's prohibition against alcohol at an all-time high."Police keep their eyes out this time of night for people like you!"

"Done, Jeb?" he asked, the alcohol leaving a light aroma on his breath, and he playfully pinched Jebediah's cheek.

The brunette smacked away his hand, a reddening mark left behind. The proud friend smirked.

"Sir, aren't you ready leave?" David's chauffer questioned as his boss' son started down the sidewalk.

"In a second."

Jebediah groaned, as their four other friends got out the closed car's backseats to follow David. Jebediah gave his friend's alcohol bottle to the chauffeur and followed the others toward Lincoln. Lincoln kept a slim gaze as David faced him beside Mr. LaBouff's car, proud and tall with a smug grin.

"Evenin', Mr. Fisher." the young Southerner greeted.

"Evening, Mr. Miller." Lincoln saw the approaching men at the wealthy man's sides, "Evening, gentlemen." each man present came from great wealth, but all lower status than David.

"Evening." they replied, giving smug smiles, identical to the blonde man within the crowd's center.

Jebediah was the last to arrive, "Hello, Mr. Fisher."

The driver's face softened as the young man spoke, "Hello, Jebediah. How's your father?"

David and the others threw their orbs.

"He's doing well."

"Wonderful, and your mother?" Lincoln smiled.

"Excuse me," David interrupted before the dark headed man could answer, "I hate to break up y'all's lil' chit-chat, but is it too much trouble to speak to Mr. LaBouff?" he pointed his thumb over his shoulder to a restaurant's windows as a couple of its employees stacked wooden chairs on tables inside, preparing to close.

Jebediah curiously stared at David, finding his request sudden as well as odd; he faintly shrugged, placing his hands within his slacks' pockets.

"Why do you wish to speak with my boss this time of night, Mr. Miller?" Lincoln could smell the alcohol on the rude man's sour breath.

"I'd like to speak to him for a moment on courtin' Ms. Charlotte." David had taken interest in the man's daughter for a while.

His friends chuckled, knowing the wealthy businessman-to-be was a strong candidate for Mr. LaBouff's approval.

"The engagement's off with the prince, I heard…Or so I've read in the papers."

"From what I know that is correct, Mr. Miller." Lincoln replied, glimpsing shortly into the restaurant's windows for his current passenger.

"Go to the car, boys. This won't take long." David was confident to receive the wealthy man's blessing; his friends silently agreed, walking back toward the Cadillac past a still Jebediah.

"Jeb?" David met the final man with warning eyes, Lincoln easily sensing tension between the two.

"David, you never told me you had interest in courting Ms. LaBouff."

The blonde man raised a brow, puzzled hearing the friend's protectiveness, "She was on her head about that foreign mulatto! I had no reason to. Besides, what difference would it make to you, Jeb? You've been gone nine months out of the year for the last four years!"

Lincoln's shoulders drew stiff as he watched the contending men before him. David thinned his lips into a scowl, Jebediah, the least intimidated, simply tossed his shoulders, remaining firmly where he stood.

"Would you be so kind to go back to my chauffeur, Mr. Williams?" David finally had to spell out his hint in clear letters, clenching pestered fists.

"Goodnight, Mr. Fisher." Jebediah chose to back down, keeping his thoughts to himself until a more private time, retreating aboard David's chauffeur.

"Goodnight, Mr. Williams." Lincoln replied, staring back to an irritated David with him at the curb.

"So why is Mr. Eli out so late? From what I know of him, he always makes it priority to be back to his estate to have dinner with Ms. Charlotte."

"And once again, Mr. Miller, you are correct. Mr. LaBouff is at home right now with his daughter."

David's brows furrowed, his gentleman-like mannerisms fleeting, "Then, why couldn't you have told me that two minutes ago?'

"Well, at that time, I found it poor taste to interrupt your discussion with Mr. Williams, sir." Mr. LaBouff's driver hid a smile, angering David further.

"Who do you think you are?! Don't you ever get smart with me!" David angrily pointed, Lincoln tensing but keeping a straight posture.

"Oh, no. It seems Mr. Fisher has said something to offend the young Mr. Miller." the yelling heir's chauffeur told Jebidiah and the others with a hopeless sigh, wishing he could just go home for the night.

Jebediah hoped David, already somewhat intoxicated, could maintain his temper so he wouldn't hit the poor man, seeing Lincoln's terrified shivers. Naveen was inside the restaurant, now shaking hands with the manager, a smile upon his face as he exited the man's private office. He folded a piece of paper given to him by the manager. As he tucked the note away in his shirt's pocket, he heard loud muffled screaming and walked quickly past employees cleaning the building's tables and counter-tops. Naveen saw Lincoln at Mr. LaBouff's car as he made it closer toward the restaurant's glass doors, noticing a tall blonde haired man yelling at him. Naveen was offended, the stranger repetitively waving his hands and looking down at the chauffeur as if he was beneath him or unworthy to be viewed as an equal, like scum underneath the bottom of his polished shoes. Lincoln saw Naveen's angered face as he came out the restaurant and tried to warn him to turn back. David clenched Lincoln's wrist.

"Oh, dear." the watching driver behind David's car wheel panicked, Jebediah immediately leaving the seat beside him, slamming the heir's car door as he got out.

"Mr. Miller, I apologize for my remark. It won't happen again!" Lincoln trembled in the strong man's arms.

David didn't listen, "I should have you fired from LaBouff's staff tonight!"

"Is there a problem?"

David paused, the spoken accent rough, heavy, and unfamiliar; he turned and saw Naveen, "Stay out of this, mulatto!" he didn't recognize him and focused back to the flushed driver in his grasp.

Naveen had never heard the term, ignoring it, Lincoln his main concern; he smelled the alcohol on the stranger's breath, "Excuse me, can you explain why you're assaulting my driver?"

"David!" Jebediah shouted, still a good distance away, and started running to keep the entitled man from fighting someone.

Lincoln shut his eyes, relieved as David finally released his arm, but now, he was worried for Naveen. The driver didn't want to use Mr. LaBouff's gun unless fully necessary. As Jebediah came closer, he saw the new man David was confronting, recognizing him instantly. He ran faster.

"What the hell do you mean by 'your driver'?" David asked, eyeing Naveen's frame, equal to his own.

"Who's that squaring off with David?" a friend watching from the heir's car wondered aloud, a close childhood friend, becoming irritated across the backseat.

"A mulatto." another answered, a growl raging within his throat.

"Let's git him."

"Gentleman, please, stay in the car. Jebediah can handle—" David's chauffer groaned as all four men exited the gray Cadillac.

"I know good and well Fisher here works for Mr. LaBouff. You aren't him!" David sneered, Naveen glaring.

"I'm taking him home—as orders from Mr. LaBouff." Lincoln protectively spoke.

"How kind." David replied, a sarcastic scoff, eyeing Naveen from head to toe. "So LaBouff's taken in another colored?" he hid a smirk, catching a glimpse on Naveen's irritated features—he understood that word very well. "I think Mr. LaBouff's becoming a bit too trustin', Mr. Fisher. One of these days, his daughter could get hurt by one of these things."

Naveen frowned, tightening a fist at his at his hip.

The blonde heir lifted a brow, "Did somethin' I say offend you, boy?"

"David," Jebediah reached them on the sidewalk and took his arm, "let's go." the friend's voice was stern, shortly gazing toward Naveen's angered amber eyes.

David shrugged Jebediah's hand away, "Who are you, my father? You know good and well where he is this time of night. In fact, he'd encourage my actions!"

Naveen stared at David. He wasn't afraid to fight this man; hired athletes within his father's palace trained him well. Then, he envisioned Tiana and couldn't. His anger appeased. Naveen just needed to get home.

"Hey, there, boy!"

Naveen turned along with Lincoln, seeing David's four friends flouncing down the street, their strong arms and toned bodies lit by the sidewalk's lights, "Who's your new friend, David?"

"Naveen, we need to leave." Lincoln spoke, touching his arm, his heart pounding about his ribs.

"Oh, come on now, Mr. Fisher! My boys and I just tryin' to have a little fun!" David smirked, a light push against the older man's chest.

"Mr. Fisher, get him out of here." Jebediah urged as David's other friends walked faster their way.

Lincoln led Naveen into the Packard, starting the car's engine without hesitation, turning on the headlights. Naveen looked back at David's threatening ice orbs as Mr. LaBouff's driver pulled from the curb.

"This isn't over, boy."

Naveen faced away as Lincoln drove off, disappearing around the next street's corner.

David's four friends groaned as they came to him and Jebediah upon the sidewalk, too late, and started coughing, the escaping car's fumes choking their breath.

David blew an agitated puff, "Now, see, Jeb! You let 'em get away!"

"Good! Can we go home?" the dark haired friend was content and started his walk to the Cadillac.

"What's with you?!" David matched his pace, the others slowly behind, "If you were any other man, I'd be beatin' you for showing such mercy to the coloreds."

Jebediah frowned, shoving David's chest.

"Jeb!"

"Are you that drunk where you didn't even realize who that guy was?"

"He was a mulatto! Who cares whatever else he is?" he shrugged, two employees working within the restaurant came past to take trash bags to the dumpster, "He's nothin' more than the help."

David and Jebediah's friends chuckled.

"That mulatto," Jebediah glared, "was just a few words from being married to your current woman of interest Tuesday night!"

David's eyes expanded with shock, his face swiftly turning toward Lincoln and Naveen's previous exit, "That was that prince Charlotte wanted?! Jeb," he narrowed his gaze, "since you knew that, you should have told me! I would have had the boys take that gun Fisher was too stupid to hide, had him thrown in Eli's backseat, and taken that boy to father an' the Klan in the next hour!"

The friend winded and rolled his eyes, "Sure, David, and then have his parents come after you? In case you haven't made the connection, they're king and queen of a country!"

"A colored country!" the heir dismissed.

"President Coolidge himself couldn't get you out of that!" Jebediah shook his head, stopping on the sidewalk as their other friends went by to get inside the car; he looked at David, affliction in his eyes, "Would you really have gone to your father?"

David stared, his head giving a contemplative toss.

"I thought you were against that side of him." disappointment coated his tone.

David glanced toward the Cadillac as his driver closed a backseat's door; he smirked, "You know me, Jeb." his voice was taunting yet soothing, persuasive and low, "Whenever, I see trouble, I use whatever resources on my side to make an end of it." David took a step on the pavement then glanced back, "Ethics no longer matter." he walked on.

Jebediah shut his eyes, anger simmering, while the wealthy son returned to the chauffeur.

* * *

**A/N: Surprise— to you and to me, I'm splitting chapter four into three parts for you guys instead of my original two! Thank you everyone for reading and please feel free to let me know what you think of the story so far in the review section. Take care, and I'll have the conclusion for chapter four out soon.**


	6. Chapter 4: Goodnight Cal's CONCLUSION

**A/N: And now, the conclusion to chapter four: Goodnight Cal's. Thank you for being patient for its upload and please review. I'd love to know your honest opinions so far. I thank each and every one of you for taking the time to read my story. I hope you enjoy.**

**Ch. 4**

**Goodnight Cal's**

**Conclusion**

"His name is David Miller—" Lincoln explained, driving Naveen down a similar street of houses like Eudora and Tiana's; the driver made a smooth turn, "heir to the Franklin Miller fortune. His daddy was born to a fresh cloth diaper sittin' on about one million dollars in stock and another two million in acreage, cattle, and cotton." their car lowered in speed as its tires came to a large bump, "See, Franklin Miller married this sweet little woman from Florida when he was twenty-four. Not only did she have doe eyes that made him fall head over heels, but she was also the daughter of a railroad investor—sitting pretty herself on about three quarters of a million dollars by age twenty. She made one visit to New Orleans, and Miller courted her six months before the marriage. Five years after, David was born. The Miller's and their son—their only child—are worth almost five million dollars. In other words, Naveen, the Millers are a highly respected family, possibly the wealthiest family in New Orleans, even wealthier than Mr. LaBouff! The Miller name is common knowledge to anyone born here in the Crescent City, and David is one of the most eligible bachelors of his social class." the driver sneered, his head sinking bitterly as he drove upon the street, "Now, the rat fink has his eyes set on little Charlotte!"

Lincoln had helped raise Charlotte for over twelve years and had grown to love her as a daughter. He took out his anger about David's interest on an innocent bush planted on their current street's corner.

"You two aren't friends, no?" Naveen didn't blame him—especially now that Charlotte was almost family to him, marrying Tiana.

"Enemies more than anythin'!" Lincoln continued, his eyes scanning different street signs, "The Miller men are nothin' but bullies in this town: looking down on anyone they think they're superior to…" he glanced toward his guest, "or in your case, threatened by!"

"He didn't recognize me." Naveen shook his head, propping his shoulder on the passenger door's edge, enjoying the night's breeze as the growing acquaintances sped along.

"But be careful when he does, Prince Naveen. I wouldn't trust David Miller even if he was my last hope for a cup of water!"

Naveen found the Southerner's expression odd but understood it vividly. He hoped Charlotte could feel the same way.

"There are rumors in my family David's father is a high member of The Klan." Lincoln warned, breaking Naveen's thoughts.

"The Klan?" Naveen had never heard the term before. "Are they some sort of club?"

The driver's jaw nearly dropped, concluding how innocent the Maldonian prince was about Southern society, "Yes…an evil one." Lincoln pulled up to Eudora and Tiana's front curb and parked Mr. LaBouff's Packard, stopping its muttering engine, "Naveen," he shifted toward the prince, his ignorance putting the driver in high alarm, "As a man of color, of your family's status, and a newly married man to Miss Tiana," he saw Naveen's short proud smile, infectious, "I…It would be on my conscience if I didn't advise you to educate yourself on the Ku Klux Klan 'round here."

Naveen stared upon the man curiously, the driver's eyes showing more fear now mentioning this 'Ku Klux Klan' than he had all night around David Miller.

Lincoln gave a heavy sigh, forming a small turn's smile, "It was nice meeting you, your highness, and congratulations on your marriage. Tiana is a lovely young woman."

Naveen nodded and a warm smile returned to his face, a joyful light within his orbs, "Thank you, Lincoln. Be safe."

"Thank you." Lincoln replied and restarted the car's engine as Naveen grabbed his suitcases and closed Mr. LaBouff's door.

He watched the Packard drive off toward the next street, the car's vibrant lights vanishing from sight. Naveen turned from the curb and crossed through Eudora's gate and sidewalk. His heart leaped with happiness, already knowing Tiana's address by heart, and an extra telling sign was the personalized tall pink flowers planted in the mother and daughter's garden on the house's side. The porch light was on, and Tiana's yard withheld the strongest source of light: fireflies, their beautiful warm gold glow flickering as a beacon for Naveen.

"Thank you, everyone." He acknowledged, some insects now flying away, witnessing his safe return.

Two more fireflies flashed on the porch's railing, waving their arms, "Your highness! Your highness!" they called, grabbing Naveen's attention before he knocked onto the family's front door.

"Hello." Naveen crouched beside the railing, their little bodies reducing their bright glow for his gaze.

"Your wife left a letter for you in the mailbox." the female firefly informed and began to flutter her see-through wings, leading Naveen's eyes toward the mounted box on the home's wall, glowing her body as she rested at its side.

"Thank you." Naveen grabbed the letter from the box then paused, looking to the floating flies, "Wait, why would she leave a letter? Isn't she inside?"

The female perched her mouth, remaining quiet.

The male, however, chuckled, flickering as he landed on Naveen shoulder, "Huh-huh! Looks like you prob'ly in trouble, partner!" his chuckling grew deeper, crueler, as Naveen opened Tiana's envelope.

The fly's mate glowed red with anger, pulling the amused male along by one leg.

"Ow! OW! That's my sittin' leg, girl!"

"If you don't come on! I can't take you anywhere!" she grumbled, pausing in flight, giving a short one-handed curtsy, "Have a goodnight, your highness!" she said to Naveen before dragging her mate away.

"Thank you." the prince glanced, distracted by his wife's letter, "You, too."

The country male fly continued to scream, over-exaggerating his leg's pain, as he and his mate disappeared into the sky, melting into the night's shining stars. Naveen's frown defined the more he read Tiana's words. She'd gone to work—without giving him a single indication she would all morning. The new husband crumpled the letter and knocked on the house's door for Eudora: perhaps a little too violently. Yet, he knew she was awake; he could hear her running sewing machine from the porch. Eudora opened her home's front door.

"Where'd she go?"

Eudora lightly sighed, "She went to Cal's. It's her nightshift."

**O-O-O-O-O**

Tiana entered into Cal's kitchen to grab the next set of customers' orders. Well glazed ham slices and ètouffee spices tickled her nose while picking up the trays. She left the kitchen in a dash.

She placed the hot orders upon the diner's main serving counter, "Here you go: one honey glazed ham sandwich and one helpin' of ètouffee— fresh from the stove!"

"Thanks, Tiana."

"Thanks, Tiana, and welcome back!" the second older man smiled as his friend sampled the sweet flavored ham amid his neighboring stool.

"Thanks." the young waitress returned through the kitchen's door with a light push. She hung the chef's latest listed orders from her notepad on metal clips draped upon a white cotton string, "Here are the next orders, Tom: tables five and eight."

"Thanks, Tiana." the chef took the closest note down while flipping a sizzing burger on his grill; he heaved a breath, turning her way, "But girl," then shook his head, "Cal is mad at you."

Tiana sighed, glancing to a table near Tom as he completed an ordered dish.

"You know I work a couple of day shifts now—since Carl broke his leg at his family's shrimp boil—and I was here the day after you missed your second seven hour shift…" he whistled with pity, recalling their boss' anger and created tawny grill lines across his heating burger patty, weighty steam toppling above.

Tiana bit her lip.

"So what's the story, girl?" Tom asked as he cooked. He fixed the patty with fresh green lettuce and salt, then skeptically looked her way, "You never miss work."

"I can't explain yet…" Tiana replied. She felt she needed to talk more with Naveen before giving away any explanations, now wondering why she came to work at all.

Oh, right—her restaurant.

"Alright, I get that," the chef nodded; his small smile dropped flat, "but Cal won't. So," Tom placed the finishing bun on the gourmet burger's top, satisfaction within his features, "what lie are you going to tell him, girl?" he looked back at Tiana with a round curious gaze.

"I don't have one."

"Well, you better get one! The boss man is comin' to see you before the end of your shift."

"What?!"

"I told you he was mad! Trixie went to call him after your third table's orders." he mentioned a supervisor, "Table five ready." he handed her two more dishes, ready for serving.

"Thanks, Tom." Tiana answered, rushing out the kitchen.

"Mm-hmm! Get your lie together, girl!"

**O-O-O-O-O-O**

Naveen set down his suitcase in the den, not sparing a second, "How do I get to Cal's?"

Eudora could tell he was upset and tried to console him, "Don't go after her, Naveen. She left on the trolley nearly an hour ago. The man sighed, sitting down on the den's floral patterned couch, silent.

"She's as bullheaded as her daddy." Eudora shook her head and turned off her sewing machine, her nerves restored, now that Naveen was home. She came back within the den to sit in a chair near the prince.

"I didn't mean to disturb your work." he apologized, pointing a finger toward the kitchen.

"Hmm?" she shifted her head then released a passive scoff, "Oh that? That was just…I sew when I'm nervous." she finally confessed.

"Oh." Naveen bashfully lowered his shoulders and looked away from his mother-in-law's eyes, knowing he was the cause. "I'm sorry, Mrs.—"

"Where have you been, anyway?" she now confronted, becoming the very image of Tiana as she pouted her cherry red lips and angrily folded her arms. "Do you realize you had us worried sick?"

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Brown."

"Answer my real question—where were you?" Eudora wanted facts not apologies. "And I don't want the answers you gave my daughter!"

Naveen had never been so afraid of a woman in all his life. Eudora even topped the respect he had for his mother, and she was a queen! "I tell you, but you have to promise me you will not tell Tiana."

Eudora gave the notorious philanderer a stern look, squinting her coal hard eyes.

"It's not what you think." he quickly assured, "I went to talk to the Fenner brothers."

"Without my baby?!" the woman squawked.

"Mrs. Brown?"

She became compliant, keeping an open mind.

"The sugar mill is still up for sale."

"Those men lied to my daughter? ..." the wife's mother couldn't help but perch her mouth afterwards, "I'm not surprised."

"You're not?" Naveen straightened his posture with surprise, "I was. Who could lie to Tiana?"

"Didn't you lie to my daughter this afternoon before walking out my door?"

"I did it for Tiana's happiness!" he defended as Eudora motioned her doubtful orbs. "And we own the restaurant now."

"We do?" Eudora grinned wide.

"Well…" Naveen dragged, "just not on paper."

"Then we don't own it, Naveen, but how'd you manage to get those brothers to change their minds?"

Naveen hesitated to respond; the muscles over his shoulders grew stiff as he explained the rest, "They don't know Tiana's my wife…They don't think I even know Tiana." the woman sitting before him crafted a sharp blood striking glare, "They know I'm a prince, and they think I'm going to pay them in full cash within the next month…with a business partner from Maldonia."

"Naveen!" Eudora was equally shocked as she was angered, slumping with disappointment in her seat. "So you lied?" he cowered on the couch as the woman towered over his tall sitting frame.

"I intend to do so! I even got a job tonight."

"You did?" her voice grew softer.

"Yes, ma'am, and I plan to get another. Hopefully one with higher pay, but at least the money from Jerry's adds for Tiana's restaurant, just the same. And the manager says people tip well."

"Jerry's?" Eudora caught, her tone alarmed; she put her small slim palms on her hips, "You mean that racist white diner on Sugar Street?"

"Well, I didn't think it was a racist diner…" he mumbled, "I saw a couple of workers tonight my complexion—and darker."

"No, Naveen." Eudora groaned and placed her hand upon her face.

"What did I do?" he sweetly wondered, his honey eyes shimmering with innocence, "I got a job. That is good news, yes?"

The older woman looked her son-in-law's way, her eyes far more kind, "Naveen, I don't want you workin' there…I don't want you workin' at any place like that until you learn how things work 'roun' here!"

"I'll only work there at night, Mrs. Brown."

"That's even worse!"

The prince sighed, clicking his shoe's heel once over the wooden floor. Eudora stared, his shoulders low. She walked to his side and cupped his cheek in her hand, like a mother with her son. His eye met hers.

"You're willing to go through so much trouble, more than you realize, just to help my baby get that mill of hers?"

He quietly nodded. Eudora gave a warm smile, a smile so soothing Naveen wished he'd received from his own mother once in a while growing up. He smiled back.

She let go of his face, "Unless you ate at the LaBouffs, I know you're hungry."

"Not really."

The room's silence depicted otherwise, the man's growling stomach filling the den. Eudora started to chuckle and attempted to conceal it with a curved hand toward her lips. Naveen's smile was weak, exhausted from the long day.

"Go on. Take those bags to Tiana's room." She playfully tapped his shoulders as he began to stand.

"Naveen froze midway over the couch, gazing wide at the conservative woman. Was she testing him? She had to be joking.

Eudora nodded, "Mm-hmm. You two _are_ married." she reminded, "I believe everything—after seein' those two hundred somethin' fireflies on my porch and yard like that for the last hour."

Naveen chuckled, "Thank you, Mrs. Brown."

Eudora chuckled as he went by with his things, "Oh, and Naveen?"

He stopped at den's threshold beside the hall, quickly glancing back.

"You're welcome to call me 'Mom'."

Naveen smiled and left the doorway for Tiana's room.

Eudora smiled as his footsteps faded; she sighed as she went into the kitchen's storage, "Now if I can only get that daughter of mine to come to her senses." and collected food from dinner to reheat in the oven.

**O-O-O-O-O**

Tom sighed with a heavy heart as he washed the dishes at Cal's, fresh off the diner's night rush. Mr. Cal's screams echoed through the kitchen's wall, the boss' private office neighboring the other side. Tiana sat motionless within her chair as her boss, usually asleep this hour, continued his shouts at her behind his closed office door.

"Do you know how many tips I lost because of you this past week, Tiana? How many customer complaints I've gotten—'The food was slow', 'the waiters are careless', 'I'm never coming to this place again'!" the older man went on, his cheeks red with fury.

"Mr. Cal—"

"Tell me where you've been, and if the excuse isn't good enough, Ms. Brown, I'll fire you!"

Tom closed his eyes, sadly lowering his head while listening at the kitchen's sink, nearly overflowing with neglected suds. Tiana tensed her shoulders, finally lifting her eyes as she began to give Mr. Cal her explanation.

**O-O-O-O-O**

Philipe stared over Naveen's sealed letter on his evening off as he sat upon his soft prim bed. He didn't have the heart to throw the letter away, as the king ordered. Naveen, a step above banishment or not, was still like a son to the man. He needed to know if the crown prince was alright.

Philipe carefully tore the white envelope's plain fold, his dark brown eyes quickly processing the prince's words, reading news concerning a 'new young princess', "Oh, my heavens!" the head valet placed a hand to his rosy cheek, "Naveen is a father!" the man leaped from his bed, opening his chamber door wide, screaming down the palace halls, letter in hand, "Your highness! Your higghhnneessss!"

** O-O-O-O-O **

Eudora laid in bed, cozy under the covers in a relaxing sleep. She opened her eyes to the early morning's pastel colors painting her room, hearing the opening and closing of her home's front door. The older woman saw her daughter's dragging frame, passing her bedroom in her classic teal blue dress. She had her white waitress hat and shoes clenched in her palm, a usual habit, as her bare sore feet slid over the floor. Eudora smiled, happy her daughter was home early. She would have a longer rest before her breakfast shift for Duke's. Mercy! Would that child ever slow down? Tiana's mother closed her eyes and drifted back to sleep.

Tiana was glad to be home, catching the previous hour's trolley right before it left the square with its passengers. Her fast speed down the city sidewalk and the driver's kindness granted her more additional sleeping time for the morning. Tiana entered her bedroom's faint light. As routine, she'd first empty her pockets holding her night's tips. The early dawn's dim light that glossed across her room was soothing for the tired waitress' eyes, almost cooling. She gave a wide stretch and silent yawn before she tossed down her shoes and hat onto her room's floor, allowing it to fall where it pleased until the day's full golden light. She knew her room like the back of her hand, even in the dark. So, she dismissed her room's light switch and lamp, feeling her way in a groggy trance to her tall chestnut dresser. Tiana arrived at the drawer's handles, tugging it open, revealing her saved dollars, dimes, quarters, nickels and pennies, stocked high, by the dozens, in red tin coffee cans.

Remembering exactly where her latest can was in her drawer, she its masked body with one hand and reached within her apron's first pocket: releasing multiple coins, satisfying to her ears, "But that's not all tonight, Miss Tiana." she collected her earnings from her apron's opposite pocket, pulling out only dollars—several dollars—then sighed, "At least you ended you time on a high note." and briefly shut her eyes, another yawn sounding, a quiet demand to go to bed, "We'll see what tomorrow brings…" Tiana's feet resumed their drag toward her next dresser, "Ow!" her eyes sprang wide, her bare foot hitting a hard unknown object she couldn't recall placing, "What was that?" she ignored the harmless mistake, careful to do better, kneeling down to the drawer where she kept her coziest pajamas.

She reached for the back of her uniform, unzipping the dress for bed.

Tiana gasped, her heart pounded, almost jumping in her chest, as her mattress creaked and shifted behind her. She quickly tried to go to her nightstand, hoping her lamp would aid her view, "Ow!" she shouted, holding her second hurt foot as it rammed against another misplaced object, feeling like a large brick.

She chose to go back the clear way which she came, flipping the lightswitch, brightening her room's colors, and gasped. Naveen was in Tiana's bed, sleeping—shirtless. She forgot: she'd gotten married yesterday. Now seeing the 'bricks' holding Naveen's clothes by her nightstand and dressers, she frowned and closed her room's door, enraged, having no desire to wake her mother as she stormed over to her husband, still in a peaceful sleep. Yet, Eudora was already awake, sighing, knowing after nineteen years what to expect next with Tiana.

"What are you doing in my bed?"

Naveen continued sleeping. He was exhausted. Her voice was non-existent to him. Tiana folded her arms, her bitter eyes soon glancing toward his resting ones, capturing his dark full lashes and soft smooth lips. Her heart unmercifully fluttered as her gaze trailed to his strong fawn arms and muscular chest. Tiana put a hand on her heating face, lightheaded, never seeing Naveen this…unclothed. She was embarrassed, and no one was even around to see her!

What was she suppose to do? She wasn't going to lay _next _to him—not looking like that! She also wasn't going to sleep on the den's couch. This was her room! Looking back down at Naveen, Tiana felt sick—sick of herself, admiring the handsome man's sculpted tan cheeks and jawline. All of this time, she hadn't noticed his bare stomach yet: her new husband's defined abdominals gently rose and fell every breath he took. The wife bit her nail, physically turning away in silence, debating on whether to wake the beautiful man or not.

Gosh, he was beautiful, the woman comparing his appearance to a Greek god. She had to mentally slap herself, 'He's leavin' this room.' She took a spare pillow from her bed and hit him flat across the chest.

"Gah—What—" Naveen's vision came into lining, "Tiana?" the stunned man rubbed his eyes, sitting up, "What are you doing here—" he looked toward her alarm clock, "so early? And why'd you turn the light on?" he pouted and rubbed his open eyes again as a young child.

"What are you doin' here—in my bed?!" Tiana was proud of herself: resisting temptation, remembering her question, and asking Naveen her said question—now that he was awake, ignoring the beauty within his honey gold eyes.

"Your mother said I could sleep here." he brushed his hair's dark chocolate waves from his face.

Tiana found his effortless attraction repulsive and gasped after processing his answer, "Liar!" she hit him with her pillow again: this time on his head.

"Ow!"Naveen tensed then glared, his silk smooth curls, slightly ruffled, "Tiana, as much fun as a pillow fight at four in the morning sounds, I need to get some rest." He laid back down, reaching for her blanket.

"Oh, no you don't, mister!" she beat his searching hand with the pillow.

"Faldi Faldonza, now what?!" his gorgeous, but red, amber eyes begged.

"Where were you all day?!"

"Tiana, plezeaña, let's discuss this in the morning!" he covered his head with the thick silk pillow in his hands, worn from the day, the night, the new morning, his new wife, and her bright bedroom light.

He felt a pillow smack his back, the man now releasing a muffled groan, "What?" he didn't move.

"Y'all know I can only speak English? I don't know what 'plez-ee-an-ya' means."

"Please!" Naveen translated, revealing his face, "Plezeaña is Maldonian for please!"

"Then, just say that!" she answered, about to hit him again.

"No." Naveen sat up on his knees, taking Tiana's fluffy weapon of choice from her hands, "Don't you see what I'm doing?"

"No!" the stubborn woman fixed her arms over her body.

Naveen rolled his eyes while keeping her pillow, "One day…Well, I hope…I think…Well, I want to—"

"Give me my pillow." Tiana wanted to smack the confusing man.

He held the pillow away from her reach, "One day, I will take you to Maldonia, and you'll be surrounded by all of the words I say around you now. I'm feeding my culture to you—slowly, like a baby."

She frowned, "I wish I had that luxury!"

"Why are you angry with me now?!"

"Because you were out yesterday, like a baby, at night, at risk of running into the country's most racist, heartless, unforgivin'—"

"The Ku Klux Klan." Naveen calmly finished. Tiana's eyes softened, shocked he already knew, "They're a white supremacy group that is known for dressing in white. They burn down homes and cities…and they do other things…" Naveen didn't want to think about the rest; he cupped his hand behind his neck and sat in silence on her bed.

Tiana's face became gentle as she stared at Naveen, but then began to wonder where the Maldonian's rich stream of knowledge about the Klan had come from, "Mama?!"

Eudora gasped, pulling her blanket over her body as she laid in bed to hide, having a long talk with Naveen last night. Tiana knew her mother was up, about to charge for her bedroom's door.

Naveen grabbed her shoulders, "Do not wake your mother!"

Tiana's gaze drifted from the husband's serious eyes to his soft secure hold around her.

He sighed, letting her go, "I begged her to tell me." he saw his wife's annoyed eye roll. "It's good that I know. More things in the city will make sense to me now—like the signs for white people and the signs for us."

Tiana shrugged, not knowing what to say; her heart secretly ached while hearing his disappointed tone for 'us'.

"So now that I know about this…Klan…" he threw his eyes, hating the name along with everything they stood for, "I don't want you working at Cal's at night."

"I won't be workin' at Cal's at all."

"Tiana, you can work there in the afternoon, just not at night."

"No, Naveen." the woman shut her brown orbs with a tight breath and brushed her cradled arms.

Naveen heard the sadness in her voice, "What? What is it?"

She shook her head while gazing toward her floor then met his caring eyes, "Mr. Cal fired me."

* * *

**A/N: And that's chapter four! What do you guys think? Surprised, not surprised? Reviews and critiques highly welcome (positive and negative). I want to know what everyone thinks so I can improve my work as a writer. Chapter five was a fun write, too. I'll get it typed and posted for you as soon as I can. In the mean time, if I have any **_**Peter Pan**_** fans reading, go to my stories. I've started a new fiction there. Careful though, that one's rated M. Don't worry. **_**The Princess and the Frog**_** will not suffer in posts (I am WELL ahead in this story, y'all). Thanks again for reading and being patient, and get ready for a lot of surprises coming up in the next few chapters in **_**Now That We're Human**_**. Until then, take care!**


	7. Chapter 5: Hard Work

**Ch.5**

**Hard Work**

"Mr. Cal fired me."

Naveen stared for a moment, placing his hands over his folded knees as he sat on the bed's edge. Tiana waited, unsure what Naveen would say; the prince was full of surprises.

"I'm glad."

See.

"Excuse me?" Tiana's knuckles nicked her curved hip.

"Tiana," he rose, "I don't want you working so hard, anyway." he took her hand, "This is a good thing." and cupped her little hand within his two.

She was offended, removing her palm, "No, it's not!"

"Darling, you can focus on your cooking— your own original recipes."

"Naveen, what good is that if I don't save enough money to even buy a place to sell my food in?!"

"You do have a place—almost."

Tiana stood before him, silently and bewildered.

"Just trust me, Tiana. I even got a job last night."

"You what?"

"I know! Isn't it exciting?" Naveen smiled.

She briefly smiled. "Yes…" But then, Tiana began to doubt the matter: Naveen had no developed skills besides mincing, ukulele playing, and wooing women, "Where?"

"Jerry's!"

Tiana's remaining smile dropped, "Jerry's?"

"Yes!"

"On Sugar Street?" his wife lowered her head in shock.

"That's the one!" he was about to give Tiana a huge hug.

She blocked his embrace, "So both you and I are spendin' the afternoon lookin' through the want ads."

Tiana brushed Naveen aside to find socks for bed.

"Well," Naveen chuckled, "you can do that if you want, but I'll be in bed. I need some sleep before work!" his first shift started that night.

Tiana closed back her dresser drawer, clutching her socks and gown, "You don't have any work!'

"I didn't, princess—until last night." he agreed, about to get back beneath the woman's charming quilt and sheets.

"Naveen, I don't want you working at Jerry's!"

"Well, Tiana, it's the only job I have…and it's my first job—ever. So, I'm not quitting it that easily." he pulled the sheets over his body, like a stubborn cocoon in the mattress' center.

Tiana yanked away the sheets.

"You know," the man turned on his opposite side, facing the frustrating woman, "you're the one who has to go to work next out of the two of us. You're only hurting your beauty sleep!"

"Not if the manager at Duke's fires me, too!" Tiana pointed at Naveen's open mouth, "And don't you dare say it would be a good thing!"

"It would be if my family and I were on speaking terms—then you'd only have to focus on being a princess…which is a lot more fun than everything we're dealing with now." he nodded, pulling the blankets back upon himself.

Tiana gasped, exposing his body to the cold once again.

Naveen pressed his touching hands to his lips, staring at the white ceiling, gathering composure, then shifted toward Tiana, "Okay, I give up. You tell me when I can go to bed."

Tiana frowned, "Everything we're doing is so I can get my restaurant!"

"I know that, princess."

"Then apologize for what you just said!"

"No, I won't, princess."

She narrowed her eyes, kindling a blaze.

"Tiana, I won't pretend that I enjoy having no money, being looked down upon, and having to build my life from nothing…"the insulted woman's orbs rounded, "Well, almost nothing…But at least I have you and your mother." he reached out for her.

She strayed from his hold, "Well, I'm sorry we're all you have." she was ready for a shower.

Naveen fell flat on his back over the pillows. Nothing he said could please her—even his honesty! "Tiana!"

She peeked back through the door, "How do you say 'shut up' in Maldonian?"

"As a baby in my language, that isn't something you should know yet."

She glared at him as he lounged on her bed, entering back into the room, "Don't you think you're being hypocritical?"

"Not really."

Tiana scoffed, "You're telling me I can't work at night, but you can!"

"Oh, that…Yes, I am."

"Why is it different for you?"

"Because," Naveen held her hand with a gentle pull toward his sitting form, "I'm a man."

"Oh, my god! You're already using that?" this time, she was genuinely ready to leave.

"It's true, Tiana." he tossed his shoulders, "At least I stand a better chance of surviving face to face against the Ku Klu—"

Tiana hurriedly put her hands over his lips, "Don't…say that, Naveen." a slight chill brushed her frame, "I'm serious!" she shook her head, "I don't want to picture it." she then felt a warm kiss under her palm and met Naveen's eyes.

"Ti amorsa, mi pruta." Naveen spoke and kissed her cheek.

The moment Tiana felt his kiss on her skin, the wind nearly knocked from her body, just a fragile loving touch. She couldn't help but close her eyes as his lips' heat drifted on her jaw, and she rested her hand over his shoulder, doing her best not to faint from his alluring caress.

Tiana came back to life as her husband supported her back, becoming a little too lightheaded and tipsy on her feet, "Wh—Wh—What did you just say?" she was convinced she was once a bird instead of a frog, feeling she could fly after he kissed her like that.

He smiled as his lips lingered over her skin, "I think you can guess what it means this time. You already know most of the words."

"I do?" the daydreaming woman asked as her husband kissed her even more.

"Tiana." his warning voice growled amongst her hair.

She opened her eyes, hearing his slightly irritated growl, and smiled toward his cheek, "'Mi pruta' is 'my princess', and 'ti' means you… 'Amorsa'…" she mentally pondered each letter, feeling Naveen's hold grow a little tighter as she spoke it again aloud, " 'Mi amor'…" she recalled the prince's fond phrase for her in French. Tiana glanced at Naveen's closed eyes as his soft sweet lips greeted hers, "Is this Maldonian?"

"Zi…" Naveen confirmed, confident she knew the answer.

Tiana's heart warmed bright as a firefly's glow; she could float to the moon, "Ti amorsa, mi pruto." Naveen stopped kissing her and pulled back to see her face, "What?" she started to nod, "Didn't I say it right? I said, 'I love you, my prince'—in Maldonian."

"Yes," he grinned a flawless white smile, "but you probably should never say it again."

"Why?" Tiana's red lips fell concerned and her brown eyes wide.

"Because…" Naveen chuckled, "I won't be able to control myself, mi pruta." he gave her a tender kiss before wrapping his strong russet arms across her waist.

**O-O-O-O-O**

"Mmm!... Mmm!...Mmmm!" Charlotte groaned with full satisfaction, eating fresh hot cornbread, warm crunchy red bacon, and a bowl of cheese grits for breakfast the next day, as promised, Tiana next to her, giggling, "How is it that every new meal you make for me is better that the last one?" the bubbly blonde smiled, with a chin touch to her shoulder, "Tia?" the talented cook went suddenly quiet.

Charlotte saw Naveen enter the kitchen, going straight to the iron stove. Tiana watched the handsome man from afar while Charlotte observed the newly married woman, who was unconsciously biting her nail, admiring Naveen's backside as he got a clean plate from a cabinet. Charlotte contorted a cheeky grin, Tiana clueless, and busy, her eyes on Naveen as he loaded a second helping of eggs, biscuits, gravy, and bacon. Naveen closed back the lid to a particular pot, soon locking with Tiana's eyes. Charlotte perched the huge happy smile on her face as Naveen smiled at her bashful best friend. Tiana bit her own smile before she shyly looked away; that amber stare made her melt every time.

Would he always have that affect on her? A small chuckle was heard from Naveen's throat before leaving the kitchen with his food, his gaze on Tiana until he disappeared. Charlotte gave a loud squeal, a startled pig more modest, after the man was gone. The whole neighborhood could hear if the windows had been open!

"Charlotte!" Tiana quietly scolded, tensing in repetitive blinks.

"Honey," Charlotte forsook the half-eaten cornbread on her plate, shifting her whole seat the new wife's way, "I want to hear everything! How was it? Who did what and how many times?" she couldn't stay away from the food for long, biting into another piece of delicious bacon.

"Charlotte," Tiana lowly spoke so Naveen and their parents couldn't hear, alarmed as the quick blonde leaned closer, excited for details, "we didn't have sex!"

"Well! My word!" the heiress placed her hand on her chest, drawing a blank stare, shortly glancing into Eudora's den, unable to see anyone, though their laughs carried clear within her pearl tipped ears, "If that's the way you two look at each other _now_, I don't think I should be around eatin' cornbread when you two actually do!"

Tiana's frost brown orbs circled as she folded her arms.

"Have you two talked about it?"

Tiana was quiet as a church mouse, shaking her head, and quickly gathered gravy atop her plate's waiting biscuit.

"Tia!"

"Charlotte," Tiana spoke with a full mouth, vexed, "this is new for me! I don't know how to bring it up."

"You bring it up!"

She sighed, shoulders low, "I have other things to worry about, anyway."

"Well, land's sakes!" Charlotte pouted, "Have you ever heard of multi-taskin'?!"

"Lottie, keep your voice down!" easier said than done for Charlotte.

"All I'm saying is, what all did you marry that hunk of a man for? Use him! Do something!"

"He was a frog when I married him." Tiana's lips slyly curled.

"And now he's not— a major improvement! So, take him down!"

"Lottie!" Tiana swore she could blush; Charlotte, however, shrugged, reclaiming her cheese grits' bowl.

The blonde best friend found the conversation a lost cause for now, becoming interested in Tiana's apparent distress, "So what else is in that pretty little head of yours, pumpkin— the mill?"

"Well, I thought the mill was sold, but after talking with Naveen this morning, it sounds like it's still up for sale. I don't know…" Tiana rolled her eyes, recalling Naveen's sweet but vague explanations, "Anyway, that's not the main thing on my mind: Naveen's got a job."

"Oh, honey! That's wonderful!" Charlotte hugged her.

"He starts tonight."

"Well, there goes tonight's marital relations!"

"Oh, Lottie!" Tiana frowned.

"Your time will come." she patted Tiana's hand like a doting mother would a daughter, "So, where's he workin'?"

"That's what's on my mind. Naveen got a job at Jerry's."

"Jerry's?!" the woman bellowed in protest, causing a puzzled Eudora, Big Daddy, and Naveen to lean to see inside the far kitchen, Tiana quickly covering her mouth. "Jerry's?" she now quietly repeated. Tiana nodded, "Oh, dear." the southern beauty put a hand to her lips in thought, "He's a brave cookie, isn't he?"

"He is." Tiana sighed, "Lottie, I'm worried. It's one thing for your parents to cut you off, it's one thing to be broke and disowned by everyone you know…"she heard the heiress' sniff—being wealthy and the social butterfly she was, she couldn't imagine how Naveen took it in such stride, "But having to be in a new country, surrounded by people who talk down to you when all your life people have pampered you and praised you on top of that is a whole 'nother thing…I don't think he's ready."

"Have you told him that?"

"Charlotte, he already knows. Naveen's never had to work a day in his life, but after all that I've seen from him between the night we met to now, and our talk earlier this morinin', is that he's a fast learner. But still, I…" Tiana's bottom lip began to tremor while her orbs swelled with tears.

"Then, don't be so down, Tia. Naveen will be fine." Charlotte gently smiled as a slow tear fell down Tiana's cheek, "Come here." she gave her best friend a loving hug as their remaining food cooled on the table.

**O-O-O-O-O**

"Mm-mm-mm." Duke's head chef shook his head at an arriving Tiana, currently removing her thin green coat and hat as she returned from a lunch break.

"Not now, Beuford." Tiana suppressed a scowl, knowing the man was up to no good. She washed her hands with sweet foamed soap at the restaurant's kitchen sink.

"Girl, I'm surprised the manager even lettin' you stay here—after five missed shifts?!" he scoffed and flipped a piping-hot burger patty on his grill.

"Mr. Johanson was understandin'."

"What lie did you tell him?"

"What makes you think I lied?"

Tiana didn't lie. She'd know her manager since she was fifteen years old. Just this morning, he became the first person outside her mother, Charlotte, Eli, and Lincoln to learn she had married Naveen. Unlike Mr. Cal, who made several hurtful comments the night before, so much so Tiana didn't even give the ex-boss her true summary for her week-long absence, Mr. Johanson was happy for her. In the past six years working at Duke's, Mr. Johanson was fully aware Tiana had only missed three shifts—a feat even he had never accomplished on any job he'd ever had. He let her off with a kind warning.

"So you couldn't make the down payment for the mill, after all." Beuford concluded, tapping his silver bell on the kitchen's window for a table's order.

"What makes you say that?" Tiana quirked a brow, recalling Naveen, assuring her the mill was still available for sale that morning.

"I saw a sold sign out front when I drove by in my brother's car last night after work."

Tiana's heart stopped. She began going through the symptoms she faced losing the mill all over again: her chest beat as a hammer, early sweat cooled her reddening cheeks, the kitchen started to slowly spin around her.

"Oh, well, Tiana," Beuford secretly hid the ecstatic tone in his throat, envying the young woman's determination and talents since her first week at Duke's, "you tried. Orders up!" he placed two helpings of country-brown fried chicken and collard greens on the window sill, eyeing her to deliver them to their designated customers; Tiana was frozen, her youthful eyes a daze, "Well, chop, chop, girl! The workday ain't over yet!"

She shook herself back into reality and took the warm plates off Beuford's window. The chef smirked as she passed by, in a slow stride with hung shoulders, but as she came through the kitchen's door, her mood changed as the new room's air hit her face. Beuford rolled his eyes and continued cooking as he saw Tiana immediately perk up, with a straightened posture and welcoming smile, greeting her hungry table. She wasn't going to allow Beuford or the mill's potential permanent loss ruin her day.

** O-O-O-O-O**

The sun gradually descended, oranges, yellows, and soft reds, over Fenner Brothers' Realty that evening. Successful businessmen walked past the company toward their individual cars, some waxed fresh besides awaiting chauffeurs. Willard Fenner had a craving for cookies today to accompany his milk before beginning to sight-see the fancy cars, buggies, and closing shops outside his desk's window. He mumbled; the silky dark fudge and creamy milk's flavor mixed in harmony over his taste buds while waiting for his brother to lock the back office.

The shorter realtor nearly choked on his milk's new sip, widening his eyes through the open blinds uncovering the street, "Terry!" he was distraught, their visitor unexpected six minutes before closing, coming straight for the front door.

The tall brother, still packing in the back room, rushed up front.

Willard gasped a clear breath, the clogging fudge, milk, and cookies gone, "She's here!" his voice rasped with fear, his brown orbs still wide.

"Who, Willard?" a casual Terry Fenner tried to pull the string to open back the blinds.

Willard smacked Terry's hand before he could give them away, "Ms. Brown!"

The older Fenner chuckled, passive and cool as ice, "Is that all?" he turned his leather shoe's heel, about to head back.

"Quick! Let's lock the doors!" the short man raced for the golden locks adorning their business' entrance.

"Willard, Willard!" an amused Terry grinned, coming beside the sweating brother in a casual pace, "We can explain all Ms Tiana needs to hear within the last five minutes to closing."

"We can?" the pondering brother curled his baffled mouth.

"Yes, Willard." steady knocks announced across the front room, "We can. Grab your cookies. Let me do most of the talking." the sneakier realtor whispered, going closer to the doors, "Oh!" he suddenly remembered, "And when it comes to the prince—"

"Zip it and ship it." the country sibling briefly agreed.

"Precisely." Terry nodded with an indented point, shaking his head as he left the brother's gaze, expanding their main doors, "Miss Tiana! How are you this fine evening?" the grinning realtor became the definition of southern charm, stepping aside, allowing her inside, even gesturing to remove her coat— which she declined.

"I've…seen better days, Mr. Fenner." she was honest—otherwise she wouldn't be there.

"Oh, you poor dear. Keep your head up! It's a cold world out there, it is." Terry led Tiana by the shoulders to his desk, taking a reclining Willard's stocked plate, "Cookie?"

"Oh, uh, no thank you."

Willard glared at his brother as he bitterly snatched back the cookies, intended solely for one.

Terry sat down, "What brings you by, Miss Tiana?"

"The mill, Mr. Fenner."

"Did you not see the sigggnn?" a deeply Southern Willard dragged, biting into his tender cookie next to a frustrated Terry.

"I did. That's why I'm here." Tiana pointed at them, "We had an agreement."

"Yes, and you missed the deadline. So, we pressed on—to the man offering us full cash." Naveen's visit couldn't fit any more perfectly with the Fenner brothers' original lie.

"I know the mill was still open for sale when you told me that." she confronted.

Willard choked on his milk from the desk's other side and turned to his brother, "Glory be! She's on to us!"

The narrow Fenner glanced back at Tiana, clearing his throat, "Yes, and I'm dreadfully sorry 'bout that, Miss Tiana."

"So it was true?"

"You were bluffin'?" Willard blurted, Tiana's angered gaze boiling higher, "Dag nab it, Terry!" their whole plan was falling apart.

"Miss Tiana, I'm afraid we had no choice but to go in a different direction—a wealthier direction. My brother and I had to leap at the certain money offered to us from a man and his partner from overseas." Terry carefully kept Naveen's identity hidden, as planned.

"Overseas?!" Tiana lifted her pitch, "Why give the mill to someone you don't even know when you've known me for over a year?" she thumbed her chest.

"Money talks, darlin'," Willard replied, his older brother quietly nodding, and the proud portly man chugged his cold milk's last, soon sighing, "and the prince gave us an earful of it."

Terry Fenner's calm eyes burst. He nearly gasped. Willard immediately perched his mouth.

"Prince?" Tiana repeated puzzled, furrowing her brows.

"Oh, land sake's, Willard!" the older realtor whispered then gave the upset woman across his desk a professional posture and smile, "Well, Miss Tiana, it's best you know: Mr. Naveen—"

"Prince Naveen!" a loud Willard corrected, the other brother seemingly stuck within the royal's alter ego from his last visit.

"Prince Naveen.."Terry briefly frowned, "is the one who offered us the money for the mill in full…with a disclosed partner." the man confessed, readjusting the sliding glasses upon his long nose.

"From Mandoleja!" added a distracted Willard, his teeth soaked with fudge.

Tiana gasped.

"Maldonia, Willard." Terry looked at Tiana, looking heartbroken: for more reasons than he understood, "I'm awful sorry about all this, Ms. Brown. I'd be happy to stay in touch with you if another property of ours ever fits into your price range."

"I suggest you save more money." a complacent Willard Fenner noted, certain Tiana would be outbid once again.

Tiana's eyes filled with tears; she couldn't believe Naveen could betray her like this. But one thing she wouldn't do is cry in front of the Fenners. And so, she stood quietly from her chair.

"Oh, Miss Tiana. This is nothing to cry over." Terry saw Tiana wiping her cheek as she approached the doors.

"Let the gal cry, Terry. It's one of those feminine thangs."

Tiana glared back at Willard with a clean face as she opened the door to the evening's street.

"Have a good evenin', Miss Tiana!" Terry Fenner shouted as she crossed the realty's threshold, replying only with a strong door slam, "Whew!" he loosened his shoulders, "Thank God that's over!"

Willard nodded, "The gal took it well: I expected more tears."

Terry Fenner smiled, standing from his chair, "And now, we wait for the money from the prince and his partner!"

Willard grinned with excitement as his brother went back to the private office and started licking away the stray fudge on his empty plate.

**O-O-O-O-O**

Naveen laid over Eudora's couch with an ink pen, reading want ads in the newspaper. He was in the silent home alone, focused on his options, inquisitive movements among his honey- gold eyes. His focus broke sometime later as he heard a trolley's bell echo into his thoughts. Tiana. Naveen folded his paper, hiding his circled selections under one of the couch's floral pillows. Yes, he planned on telling Tiana about the deal he made with the Fenners but not yet.

Since his father refused to talk to him, his 'partner' back home in Maldonia, Naveen first wanted to see if he could come with the money on his own. Wouldn't it be a wonderful surprise for Tiana, all her worries fading in a flash, as they would back when he was prince? Well, a prince with his parents' money! He also didn't want to get his wife's hopes up just to let her down. Naveen was thrilled to learn there were several ads he was capable of doing and wanted to talk to their managers right away after his shift the next morning. But for now, he would be alone with his wife—for the first time ever. He double checked that his papers weren't seen as footsteps came closer on Eudora's porch, a key soon unlocking the twisting doorknob.

Tiana was quiet as she emerged into the house, her favorite cooking magazine held tightly in her hand. She didn't look Naveen's way, placing her green hat on the den's coat rack, doing everything she could not to tense her frame.

"Hi, mi bellia." her new husband smiled as she turned to close the front door.

Finally meeting his eyes, Tiana gave him a sad smile. She locked the door and left the den for her bedroom, sweeping past Naveen as he came around the coffee table. He heaved a small breath as he heard her close her door. Oh, no. Did she get fired from Duke's, too, because of him?

He walked down the modest hallway and knocked on Tiana's shut door, "Tiana?"

The crying woman raised her head from her comforting pillows as the man's knocks echoed. She remained quiet, hoping he'd take a hint and go away. Hopefully, he'd figure she's locked her door.

"May I come in?" the entrance cautiously cracked; the husband had no sight of her, considering she could be changing.

Tiana hated herself for the beginning smile on her face. Naveen was a liar! She wanted to start yelling at him now, but she needed more than one hour before the next trolley that would take him to Jerry's to say all that she wanted.

Naveen sighed, tossing back his moose brown locks, "Darling, say something: 'yes', 'no', 'I'm fine', 'get out'?"

Yes. Yes, Naveen, all of those things needed to be said. Tiana puffed and got off her bed, cleaning the tear that stained her blush cheek before answering him. Her heart melted instantly seeing his face. She had to mentally reprimand herself again. She didn't know what could be worse: Naveen cheating on her or him buying her life-long dream behind her back to keep for himself.

No. The second scenario was the worst. Naveen could be replaced. Her dream could not. Oh, who was she kidding? Both were hard to deal with!

"Tiana, have you been crying?" the man turned on her bedroom's light, her smeared make-up entirely noted on every adorable feature.

"No. It's probably just sweat." She swiftly denied, pulling off her jacket at the dresser's mirror as he stepped into the room.

"From your eyes?" the husband fought a laugh from his own joke.

Tiana cut back off the light to her room, preferring the evening's natural shine anyhow. She also had stomached enough of Naveen's chipper appearance. Naveen watched her go from the dresser's one side to its other, silently getting an outfit to wear in the house. Observing the way she stomped around in her flat heeled shoes, and how she slammed every drawer she opened, she was extremely infuriated by something that happened today. Tiana came back to her mirror's center, grabbing her silver antique brush, relieved to refresh her raven sheen curls. A tense jolted over her body as Naveen wrapped his warm chiseled arms at her waist, his golden eyes' reflection staring at hers. Tiana coldly looked away, continuing to brush, though it was quite difficult with the extra two hundred pounds towering her form.

Just as Tiana thought things couldn't get any worse, she felt a hot kiss on her temple. Naveen chose to ignore the steady irritated pattern from Tiana's brush, "Did something happen at work today?" Tiana silently fought the urge to watch him in her mirror; he held her close and proceeded with kisses on her jaw, fiery and slow.

His wife's grip grew tighter on her silver handle every soft touch he made, in turn, nearly hurting her own hand. Naveen recognized the woman's hold, and was determined to make her let go, kissing her cheek a few gentle times, "Did someone yell at you—your manager, a customer, coworker?"

Tiana turned her delighted cheek from Naveen's reach, "No." her eyes widened as she started felling eager kisses against her freshly exposed neck.

"Did someone touch you?" he now paused, the mirror's appearance no longer enough, looking directly into her eyes, "Did they try to hurt you?' he made the reluctant woman shift her face back to his.

"No." she shook her head and glanced down at the protective arms around her waist.

"So work was fine? Your whole day was fine?" he questioned as he retreated to her reflection, his butterscotch gaze seconds from getting lost over every curve on the woman's shape as long as she was genuinely okay.

She removed her focus from her brush and locked eyes with Naveen's reflection in the mirror, "Yes." she then observed their appearances together, feeling mixed emotions, loving him and hating him all at once.

Her stomach finally curled up in knots as Naveen asked, "Are you sure?"

Was he serious? How could he do this to her? Still, she nodded her head.

Naveen lowered his face back on her skin, his senses growing dull with the lavender bidding his nose, until he felt Tiana's jaw, clenched firm; he opened his eyes, "Are you tired?' he whispered as he kissed her face.

"A little." Tiana mentally plead for her fluttering heart to act in accordance with her plotting vengeful brain.

She drew a sharp breath as Naveen's arms strengthened around her.

"Your mother had a fitting with a customer, and she said she'd stop at the grocer's on the way home to cook dinner for us." he softly laid more tender kisses, each kiss more telling than the last what he wanted, "She'll be gone for about another hour."

Tiana glared at the ceiling, in prayer, maintaining as much restraint as she could, gripping the dresser's decorated edge near her waist, the bolder Naveen became.

And he showed no signs for stopping. Naveen saw his wife's hands soften over the dresser. Lifting his lips faintly he spoke, "I know we haven't talked about it before—Well, not since we were frogs…" the man swallowed a smirk as he noticed a smile inching on Tiana's luscious berry mouth, "but I was wondering, if you feel ready."

The newly married woman stared at the serious groom.

He then gave an innocent kiss on her cheek, "You don't have to be, but I do want to know how you feel about having sex….for the first time…ever…"he presumed, keeping close watch on Tiana's unchanging face, "with me." confident as he always was, Tiana was shocked to see Naveen so bashful, shrugging his shoulders before mentally stopping himself, as if reminding himself this was a natural topic to have— as many times as he had done it before!

Tiana wiped a tear and made Naveen release her. She couldn't take it anymore. He was too good. A beautiful liar. A total stranger. She never should have married him. Tiana finally broke down, balling her hands against her water-filled orbs.

"Tiana!" Naveen rushed to her side as she leaned beside her neighboring dresser as her regretful tears shed, "Tiana, what did I say?" she turned from his view, prompting him to go on her other trembling side. He didn't understand; he'd rehearsed how to approach the topic for half the morning after she left for Duke's, finding honesty the least complicated—or so he thought, "Answer me, mi pruta."

She smacked his arms away, startling him, "Why would I ever want to have sex with a man who would do this to me?!"

Naveen scanned the room, confused. Was she joking? "You're a beautiful woman and my wife so…"

"Not why you want to have sex with me!" she shouted, "Why did you buy my sugar mill? I thought you loved me!" Tiana sniffed as more tears rushed over her coffee eyes.

"Tiana, I do love you. That's why I'm buying it: to make you happy. I promised you I would, mi bellia." he brushed off her single tear glistening in the evening's light.

She stepped back, "The Fenner brothers told me you bought it with a business partner from Maldonia! Don't lie to me, Naveen!"

Relief rushed through him, "So that's why you're upset. You went to the realty." he now understood, "Tiana, I would never betray you—" his loving palm reached for her cheek.

"I don't want you touching me—ever!" Tiana motioned away, folding her arms, hugging herself as another tear fell.

"Tiana, you don't understand what I did."

"I don't care!" she refused to meet his way.

Naveen looked at her father's military picture fixed upon her dresser, "I doubt you were ever this stubborn." he quietly said toward James' photo, an elbow propped in the frame's direction.

"What?!" Tiana overheard, her bedroom air-tight, and picked up one of the Naveen's suitcases by the window.

"Faldi Faldonza, woman. Yes, you are stubborn!" he calmly took the suitcase from Tiana's hands, "So you want me to leave?"

"Yes!" Tiana meant it and crossed her arms to prove it.

Naveen simply stared. He didn't get angry with her; he only stood there, watching her. Why he was watching, Tiana was still trying to figure out! He then crossed the glaring woman in a single circle, quietly looking her up and down before going to sit on her bed.

"What was that?!" Tiana yelled, disturbed, feeling as prey to a hungry vulture.

Naveen adjusted Tiana's pillows against the window's wall and continued his stare, but his eyes were earnest and attentive, lacking any lustful trace.

"This isn't a joke, Naveen! I want you gone!"

"Yeah, I heard you," he quickly dismissed, irritating his bride further, "but what I really want to know is why you don't trust me when I talk to you?"

"I do trust you…Well, I did!" her eyes thinned.

"No, you don't." he denied with a coming smirk, "Because if you did, mi princesa, you would be undressed with me in your bed right now."

"Oh, my God!" Tiana hurried to slap her hands over her ears, her shoulders rigid, repulsed with the man's indecency—in the middle of the day!

Naveen deeply laughed before regaining his sober form. Tiana's trust was far more valuable than her body and all of his family's wealth, and he never thought he could muster the heart to say that about any woman, "So is it the past women I've had, the cheating, or the partying that scares you the most? Or is it how short of a time we've known each other that scares you even more? It could also be the fact that I am a man, part of a species of human beings you're not used to being around—let alone trusting…"

"Species, Naveen?" she saw his casual shrug then sighed. Surrendering, she sat down on her bed, "So what if I am?"

"Which part are you afraid of?"

"All of it…Which means all of you, I guess." she admitted then came beside Naveen, settling as she perceived the evening's honeycomb white clouds floating past.

Naveen weakly smiled as she happily grinned at a pair of blue birds flying outside her window. He touched her arm, surprising her and causing her to look his way, "Come here, Tiana." he pulled the hesitant woman on his side as she crawled to him at the head of her bed. She sat for a while in the man's arms, silent; her dark brown spheres met his, in time, making his heart secretly skip a beat, "As far as the women and my partying go, I love you, and I've chosen you." Tiana worriedly bit her lip; his amber eyes never left hers. Naveen studied her star-kissed eyes down to the smallest details, "Tiana, when I made those vows to you in the bayou, I meant every word. I want you for the rest of my life, and I want to support you and protect you in every dream you have. I'd never try to purposefully hurt you, princesa."

Tiana rubbed away a sudden tear. Why did this man make her cry so much?

Naveen cradled her in a hug across his chest, "Now, when it comes to how long we've known each other—"

"Six and a half days." the woman instantly mumbled against him; his cologne was warm, wrapping his body and clothing's every stitch.

"Six and a half days." he smiled, hovering her raven curls.

Naveen knew what he had with Tiana was love. The charming prince had experienced one night rendezvous, girlfriends, women in relationships, even to the extent of some being engaged, still looking elsewhere for a good time. But for some odd reason, which Naveen was now thankful for, he never touched a married woman. And achidanza, had many tried! As much of a playboy Naveen had been the past few years, he always respected the commitment marriage held—no matter how stupid he found the concept to be. Why would a man willingly choose to stay with one woman until death? That is, he wondered it until he met Tiana. Naveen could admit he wasn't the best person in the past. At that very moment, with his new wife in his arms, he could recall several times he'd left women when they became too clingy or emotional about him, never breathing a word goodbye. For the first time, Naveen felt guilty, and now, he was with Tiana, married—in a relationship that started out completely different than any other woman he had ever encountered (and conquered).

Why did he choose Tiana over all the other women he'd known? Well, now that Naveen actually thought about it, Tiana was a challenge, unpredictable. She didn't fall over herself trying to impress Naveen as the other women did. The prince secretly shook off the doubt easing into his mind; he knew he hadn't married Tiana for sport. No. Tiana was kind, determined, beautiful, and adventurous. She was everything he could have hoped for in a wife. He knew his old ways were gone. Tiana was the only woman he needed. He looked down at his listening princess, gently resting upon him with her eyes closed beneath his chin. Tiana's hands slid to Naveen's waist, holding him in a loose hug, rising and falling with his breaths as she laid.

Naveen felt it was only fair for her to know; he did have a confession to make, "I was scared in the bayou, Tiana."

His wife lifted her head, pulling from under him to see his face, "You were? But you didn't act like it…except those times we were attacked by birds, gators, and shadows—and anyone would be then, Naveen." she assured with a gentle dimpled grin, "You always made our life in the bayou a big party."

But he shook his head, "I was scared even during the fun times, Tiana. I felt safer next to you. You seemed so much braver than me. You had so much courage. I also married you because I didn't want to be in the bayou alone." Naveen rubbed the back of his hot neck, embarrassed. He expected nothing less now than for her to be disappointed and yell at him.

What was he thinking? He should have told her the truth before they got married that day! He shouldn't have kept his feelings bottled up.

"I was scared, too."

Naveen rose his brow. That was a surprise.

Tiana shrugged while looking at his eyes, "You helped me forget the danger we were in. As much as you used to annoy me," she twisted a joking smile, "you made me feel better. I didn't have to let all the scary what-ifs in that bayou get me down. I knew I could come to you for anything— a hug, a dance, or a good laugh…" she nodded as she held Naveen's gentle hand, grasping her cheek, "You never let me down, Naveen. You've always been a comfort to me…"she sighed, looking down on a button on his shirt, and placed her small finger across its smooth surface as she shook her head, "And now that we're human…I don't know what's wrong. I'm always trying to find fault in you or myself..why we won't work out and…" tears filled her eyes as she looked away from Naveen's button to his attentive gaze, and her voice failed her.

"Hey," the prince kissed her forehead and held her in a warm embrace, "nothing's wrong. Everything's perfect. We're the same people we were when we were frogs, Tiana. We're just back to our regular life, yes? We haven't experienced this part together before." Naveen wiped her cheek, and cupped her damp face within his solid loving palms, "We're going to be okay."

Tiana sniffed with a nod and hugged his neck. Naveen held her for several minutes, both needing the moment, and softly brushed her lower back. Neither said a word, only enjoying the heat and touch of each other.

"And when it comes to me being a man," the joking prince listed the woman's final fear, ruining the peace between them. "I can't really change that." he admitted, smiling down at her.

She smiled, raising her head, "That's okay." her eyes fell over his lips then trailed to the other handsome features consuming her while she lightly traced his sculpted jaw, "I really like that part about you."

"But you're also scared of me."

Tiana shook her head, "No. I'm scared of me being with you…" she glanced off, only regaining composure as she recovered the smooth button, third on his shirt.

Naveen lifted her chin with his finger, "You don't have to be afraid of us having sex, Tiana. You'll have to trust me with you then, too—like you always have." he couldn't stop the smile on his face after witnessing hers and then gently brushed her silky-smooth arms, "Our first time will happen naturally—when we're both ready."

Tiana stared at him, "But you're ready now…"

He perched his mouth, looking away from the beautiful woman, "This isn't about me…"

Tiana quickly hid her smile, quickly kneeling her head.

Naveen held her hands, "And about your restaurant: there isn't a partner. I told the Fenners that to buy me time."

Tiana arched a brow, "Time for what, Naveen? So you lied?"

"Not exactly." he shook his head, "I'm getting another job—to save more money for the mill. I promised you that."

"But Naveen—"

"I promised you I would help make your dream come true." he shortened his frame to see her soft eyes, guilt within her as she hung her head low, "Helping you is what I want to do, princess."

Tiana began to smile, but only a brief curve formed her lips before she frowned, "You still lied."

Naveen grinned, "I didn't lie."

"So do you have a partner in Maldonia or don't you?"

"I'd like to believe I do. I'm hoping he'll answer my letter I made to the palace—before I have to pay the Fenners."

Tiana's eyes bolted wide, "You're going to ask your father to help pay for my restaurant? He doesn't even know me."

"But if he gave you the money," Naveen menaced a new grin, "would you accept it?"

Tiana sighed, "You know I don't like handouts."

"It won't be a handout, mi amor, I'm going to pay him back…which is something I haven't done in my entire life with my parents' debts."

Tiana shook her head, "You shouldn't have to do this."

"I want to, Tiana, and I'm going to—whether my father helps us or not."

Tiana smiled, and her sparkling eyes radiated with happiness.

"You're not in this dream alone anymore."

"But it's going to be a lot of hard work to buy this mill—no matter who we owe the money to." she warned, biting her lip.

The prince didn't care, shaking his head, "I'm ready." And he gave her a warm assuring kiss.

Tiana unveiled her closed eyes as she remained protected within his hold, "Ti amorsa, mi pruto."

Naveen dimpled a restrained laugh, shutting his entranced gaze as his American wife sounded fully Maldonian, "Don't do that to me." he chuckled, brushing her cheek, needing to explain when he noticed Tiana's curious smile, "I struggle with the beauty and many talents you already have."

The new wife and princess studied her husband's eyes: full of love, honesty, amber, and lust as his thumb traced across her gloss full lips, "It's okay." her heart pounded, but her vision never broke from his, "You're not alone anymore, and you're not the only one that struggles with the beauty and talents they see." and draped her small hand over Naveen's etched jaw, "I do, too."

The man's heartbeat sped as she brought his mouth to hers in whole tender kisses. He opened back his eyes in the heat of her compelling buss, his heart racing stronger while her deep brown eyes met his, "I trust you." she whispered, resuming her kisses against his mouth and skin, "I'm ready."

His eyes glazed with shock, "Are you sure?"

With a finger she placed over his lips, she nodded, "Yes. I'm sure, Naveen. Ti amosa, m—"

Naveen then put his finger over her mouth and finished, "Mi pruta." with a loving smile he wrapped his princess in his arms, taking her kisses back with his own.

Steadily, the handsome husband lulled his bride toward the pillows as his spice pink lips melted on her skin in a slow caress. Tiana cherished his warmth, stretching her hands over his shoulders as he towered her. Every fear she had about this moment faded, each kiss Naveen gave her dulling it more and more. Naveen's crystal honey eyes shortly locked with Tiana's: finding her smile after leaving her neck, recapturing its butter touch. Her hand left his chiseled cheek, trailing his neck and reaching his shirt's fold, pure white buttons beginning to slip away.

**A/N: And there you have it-chapter five! As always, feel free to leave a review. Thank you to everyone for the follows, favorites, and reviews on the story so far. I really appreciate your advice and compliments. The next chapter was fun for me to write (I'll get it posted as soon as I can): get ready for a few surprises and new characters…or are they?**

**Glossary:**

**1\. Ti amorsa **(Maldonian): I love you

**2\. Pruta **(Maldonian): princess

**3\. Zi **(Maldonian): yes

**4\. Pruto **(Maldonian): prince


	8. Chapter Six: Visiting Royalty Pt1

**A/N: Finally! Enjoy chapter six, everyone, and please review. Hop to it!**

**Ch. 6**

**Visiting Royalty**

**(Part One)**

King Amar was in a routine meeting filled with the mumbles of high-ranked officials and arguing accountants. The king pressed two fingers upon his forehead, massaging his stressed temple.

"This is the fifth time they've requested lumber in the last eight months!" an older official griped, pounding a fist on the meeting's polished wooden table, "We need to allocate our funds to the railroads!"

"And the villagers in the city of Zapor are in the middle of a pipeline crisis, your majesty!" another sputtered, a golden spectacle about his orb.

"It's that council leader of theirs!" replied his neighboring man, "Everytime I see him, he's wearing a new hat and cape!"

"Your majesty, shall we take a train for the weekend to supervise the leader of Zapor?"

"We'll need more than a weekend to supervise according to these numbers!" argued an accountant.

"Shall we send the prime minister?"

The prime minister, in a seat near the king, nearly choked on his water, "Why should I be the one drafted into that council leader's idiocy?!" his tan cheeks shifted red.

King Amar tossed his deep hued eyes at the table's head, trapped in the arguing officials' midst. Philippe blew a breath, clouded with boredom, as he stood aside the room's main doors. Loud knocks pattered against the fine cerulean doors, trimmed in gold, alarming the head servant's ears. Who would disturb the king during his most important weekly meeting? Philippe gave a nod toward the two royal doorkeepers, dressed in their traditional turquoise jackets, and tugged about the doors' waxed golden handles, revealing the elegant Queen Mira with her faithful handmaid. Philipe and the doorkeepers bowed low.

"Philipe." his queen acknowledged.

He raised his head, viewing the queen's fair face, "Yes, your majesty?"

"He has no right to those tax funds until next month!" a shout echoed from the far table, flooded with men.

King Amar soon noticed his wife's presence at the open doors, and the powerful king's face softened, despite the meeting's frustrations.

"Your, highness, can we simply strip theses men of their titles?" an accountant pleaded, before discovering his ruler's diverted gaze.

The men at the king's table grew silent, realizing the queen's arrival. All thirty men quickly rose from their seats, bowing before her ocean-rich orbs. Amar saw his wife clasping a sealed envelope within her manicured hands.

Mira glanced back at Philipe with a small smile, "I need to speak with the king." She whispered as the officials sat back in their leather chairs.

Mira rarely disturbed the king's weekly summaries.

Philipe humbled his stance, "I will alert his majesty at once." he left Mira's side and paced for the king in a proper stride.

Officials continued to dread the possible solutions concerning their country's main issues as the servant greeted Amar.

"Hello, Philipe."

"Sire, the queen wishes for a private word." Philipe observed the palace's crest upon Mira's envelope the second she entered the meeting room's doors, "I believe it's quite urgent, your majesty. Her letter even has the palace crest!" he whispered to his king and good friend, the others amongst the table unaware toward his remarks.

Amar looked to his wife then called upon the men at his table, "Gentlemen?" the men ceased their private quarrels and suggestions as their king spoke over their tones, "I must speak with the queen. I will be open to more suggestions on the councilmen's fate upon my return." And with that, the table worked more feverishly, "Philipe?" he cued his head servant to follow as Mira hooked her husband's arm.

The man was surprised and left Mira's handmaid to join the king and queen's exit, "What is it, your majesties?" he whispered past the guards as the three trotted down the elaborate golden-rayed hall.

"It's from the detective." Mira's jeweled hand revealed.

"Detective?!" Amar yelled, "Mira, I'm in a very important meeting, and you bring me out of it to help you play detective?" the queen's mate was appalled and put his hands to his royal uniform's sides.

"You need to see her, dear."

Philipe gasped with a grin, "Oh! The crown prince's new little girl?" he eagerly followed the inquisitive queen into a private room, the guards for the woman opening its doors as they approached.

"Mira," the king glared, "I can see my foolish son's bastard child when my meeting is over!" his queen and head servant winced, nudging them aside to sit on the couch first, "I mean, what was he thinking, Mira? When did Naveen even find the time to sneak away from us to conceive an American child nine months ago?" the king took a moment to fix the golden crown atop his head.

Mira sighed as she sat down then rolled her eyes as her husband rose, taking time to admire his royal appearance in the room's golden framed mirrors, "Will you stop smiling at yourself and come see our new granddaughter with Philipe?"

"Oh, yes." Amar cleared his throat and sat down beside his wife, "This is such an embarrassment for us, Mira! I should have Naveen brought back to Maldonia on the next available ship with that new child and its mother—Oh, great!" he heaved, "Its mother!" the wealthy king dreaded meeting the whore responsible for seducing his son, unwed, producing the kingdom's first royal grandchild. Amar imagined the shameful headlines on the country's future newspapers once the word had spread.

"Oh, but it's still so exciting, sir! It'll be nice to have a new royal baby around the palace again, and Naveen sounded so happy in the letter he wrote about her!" Philipe could hardly contain himself as Mira broke the envelope's seal, excited to witness the baby photo inside, "My queen!" he gasped, "Have you already peeked?" all the woman did was expand a tear previously made.

"It's a typical move from the queen, Philipe!" Amar chuckled, viewing Mira's glare.

"Hmm," she frowned, "I had good reason to see my granddaughter before everyone else. Naveen's my son!"

"He's my son, too!" the king argued, Mira unfolding the freed letter with a smirk, "Well, spidazi, darling! Show us the child!"

Mira smugly huffed and threw the picture of Maldonia's new royal onto the glass table. Philipe furrowed his brows at the photograph, confused lines scribbled along his head. Mira awaited her hot-headed husband's response as he gathered the black and white picture in his palm for a closer look, she maintaining her amused smile.

"Who is this, mi quena— the child's mother?"

A gape formed over Philipe's mouth, understanding instantly who the woman was, recalling Naveen's written words. She wore a dark colored jacket and hat, appearing to be exiting a public trolley.

"This, mi shinga," Mira emphasized, playfully pointing the king's nose as she clenched the photo in his hand, "is our new daughter—our daughter-in-law." the queen's heart surged with joy, and her cerulean orbs beamed, "A navee pruta!"

"Thank heavens!" Philipe yanked a golden handkerchief from his suit's pocket, relieved, patting sweat off his head. He had no desire to awake at night to the shrills of babies and messy diapers, and Naveen would have made an awful father!

Mira clasped her hands, "Oh, Amar! Isn't this exciting? And isn't she beautiful- her rich skin and her raven hair!" she gushed, shoving the photo into the king's countenance, making it a blur.

Philipe was too busy to admire the new royal: his neck was thick with natural mist he needed to dry.

The king was silent, continuing to observe the detective's photograph.

"Haha! Achidanza!" Queen Mira laughed, slapping her gown-covered knee. She'd wanted a daughter for so long, and began to recite the additional report, "Her name is Tiana Brown. She's nineteen years old, a single child, and is one delightful chef. My detective asked around and went to a local restaurant to try one of her…"Mira's eyes slanted as she struggled to read the next word, " 'bongets'?"

"What's a bonget?" Philipe found the word fascinating and exotic, smiling ear to ear.

"It's a little square bread the Americans fry in hot oil and cover in powdered sugar! It sounds incredible…." Mira happily radiated, putting a hand to her petite waist while staring upon the page, "However, one too many sounds bad will for my corset."

"And my day vest, madam!" the two grinned, "We must try them!" they vowed together.

The queen and royal valet laughed, overjoyed the prince had married.

"She's one point sixty-five meters and lives in the city of New Orleans."

The king's eyes enlarged as his wife named the city, sending his blood into a boil.

"Yes….Hmm….The detective didn't say much about Naveen." the prince's mother sadly added, pouting her scarlet lip, "I must have a servant make my correspondence at once!" she turned to her husband as she rose from the gold and cream couch, affectionately kissing his mouth, "'Good luck with the remainder of your meeting, darling!" the thrilled queen lifted her gown's embroidered skirt and raced out the lounge's doors.

Amar looked back at Philipe as the guards closed back the doors.

"Oh, sire, this is wonderful!" too ecstatic, the valet loudly gasped for air, "But I never thought the prince would settle down-and so young! But think of what his new marriage could do for his image with the people, majesty!"

"Philipe, this is terrible!" the ruler now expressed, pacing.

Philipe was taken aback, pouting in disappointment, "But-But, sire—"

"Philipe, Naveen is broke, has no life skills, and is in one of the most discriminatory places in the United States! How can he possibly take on a wife?!"

Philipe curled into a startled posture on the couch, "Naveen wouldn't be foolish enough to marry a woman for money…"he saw his king's leather soot shoes freeze about the carpeting, glancing, "would he?"

Philipe had known Naveen since infancy. The notion wasn't too far-fetched.

"Philipe!" King Amar suddenly growled.

"Yes, sir?!" the head servant sprang to a stand.

"Pick some of my best royal dressers and pack my bags—yours, too. We're going on a trip!" he declared, his silk gloved hands behind his back.

"WE are?"

"Yes!" the man responded, vexed, "And whatever you do, do not tell the queen!" Amar marched out of the lounge room, slamming the door.

**O-O-O-O-O-O**

A woman hummed a casual melody, wearing a modest skirt and blouse. She tucked a wavy streak, fallen from her messy bun, behind her ear and resumed her recordings for needed products in her store with a fine pen and notepad. She read each ticket carefully, desiring no error when she ordered. Two siblings ran past the focused woman, to the corner store's candy wall; the children looked forward to buying their colorful treats each week as their mother shopped.

A new customer, a young man, in a white shirt and cream vest entered the grocery, noticing the female employee tending to the food cans on display by the main door, "Excuse me?"

The woman turned, acknowledging the unfamiliar man, "Yes, sir?"

"I'm sorry to disturb you, but I noticed the help wanted sign in the store's window." he pointed toward the building's glass beside them, "I'm looking for a second job."

The older woman quietly observed his strong frame, deeming him powerful to fit the store's requirements, "Yes, we're still looking for a new stocker. I'm filling out the orders for our next truck now." she held out her hand, "I'm Mrs. Ritter."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Ritter. I'm Prin—I'm Naveen." the man took her hand, removing his royal title, and gave the woman a handshake.

"Naveen, huh?" she placed a hand on her hip, shifting her mouth, "You got a last name with that?"

Naveen thought about his other royal names, having three more. None were typical according to American tradition, but he chose to remain true to his country's roots, "Zaraan."

"Zaraan…" she uttered, and her judging orbs trailed his straight face, "You're not from around here. Are you, sugar?"

Naveen smiled, having to admit, "No ma'am. I'm not."

"I like it." Mrs. Ritter declared with a grin, making the man more at ease, "Step into my office, Mr. Zaraan."

Naveen followed the woman past a store cashier and customers, browsing the numerous aisles. They came toward the back wall; a black velvet curtain veiled the next rooms. Mrs. Ritter pulled away the curtain for Naveen to step inside, discovering a storage space, cubed freezer, and a small office, located on the backroom's far right. The two sat down in Mrs. Ritter's office seats, the smells of fresh flowers, hard candy, and crisp paper drifting through.

The older woman adjusted her reading glasses set over her face and pulled out an application for Naveen to answer, leaning over her desk, also providing a pen, "Just a short application I need you to fill out, Mr. Zaraan. Answer it to the best of your ability, and we'll do a little interview."

"Yes, ma'am." Naveen took the woman's clipboard and pen and began to write about himself; that shouldn't be too hard. He took a pause when asked about his birthplace and schooling.

He certainly couldn't write 'the palace'!

Mrs. Ritter smiled across her desk, waiting patiently for the secret prince to complete his application. A little boy, with a red hat atop his curls, entered the store's door dressed in a plain white shirt and blue-jean overalls, dust collected over the knees. His curly hair was black as ink, thick and soft as lamb's wool, and the boy harbored a sweet innocence in his deep brown eyes that warmed the hearts of so many around him. The child searched around the store for a certain face, unable to find her.

The store's cashier, refilling a lemon cart, saw him from the corner of his eye and began to smile, "Mornin', Farley!"

The little boy glowed a bright grin and ran to the man for a hug, only tall enough to capture the cashier's lanky knees, "Mornin', John!" he kept hold as the man chuckled, giving the store one last look, and lifted toward his face, "Where's Gramma?"

"She's in the back, Farl, but I think she's busy tryin' to fill that last spot for the store." the old man informed.

The six-year-old puffed out his chest, balling his little hands to appear big and strong, "Well, since I'm going to run this place one day, I better go check him out!" the child softened his face, glancing back at the cashier towering over him, waiting for his permission with a pleading shape with his round eyes.

"Okay, Farley," John allowed, "but mind your manners!" he added as the boy ran past.

"I will, I will." Farley promised and waved at a friend of his at the candy wall, guiding a younger sibling on the different treats where their mother permitted them to select.

John shook his head and chuckled: a young Farley fought to pass the store's velvet black curtains, violently swatting his arms, before disappearing to the backroom. The cashier reached in his box to finish restocking the lemons.

"Maldonia?" Mrs. Ritter read, kneading the beaded purple and blue chain attached to her glasses, focusing back on Naveen's eyes, "Is that in Europe?"

"Yes, it is!"

Mrs. Ritter nodded and fixed her sight back over the application; she soon furrowed her brows, in shock, "You know Eudora Brown?" she glanced from the paper.

"She's my mot—Mrs. Brown is a friend of mine." Naveen wanted to keep his marriage to Tiana a secret for as long as possible; he hoped to keep his new family safe from those with bad intentions, assuming the prince still had money.

"I only ask because I recognize her address here." Mrs. Ritter explained, turning her cordial smile warm, "Eudora's as sweet as pie! She designed my daughter-in-law's wedding dress about seven years ago now. It was the talk of the town for weeks! Hah-ha!" the woman laughed in a sweet shrug, looking back on Naveen's paper, "So you're staying at her place?"

"For the time being."

The quiet woman thought about Tiana but knew the young woman was too focused on business-owning to be tempted by Naveen's good looks.

"It's sweet of Eudora to do that. Doesn't surprise me at all! I see you already work at…"the friendly woman paused, halting an automatic gasp amid her throat as she processed the stated print, "Jerry's?" she rose the application closer, imagining her glasses were seeing things, then twined her orbs with her new applicant's, "On Sugar Street?"

"Yes, that's the one." the young man nodded.

"Oooh." Mrs. Ritter suddenly felt hot, staying away from the well-to-do area however much she could, "And you've been there for three weeks…How's that been going?" she bluntly questioned, the man being of color.

"It isn't too bad. Most people are polite." Naveen noticed an occasional glare or sly remark during his shifts but only three or four times.

"Mm-hmm…" the older woman skeptically hummed, folding her lips; she was confident those 'polite' people withheld their additional 'polite' comments after paying for their 'polite' meals on the way to their 'polite' cars and trolleys. "Well, Mr. Zaraan, I'm impressed, and you seem to be a willing worker! I feel comfortable in you to hire you right now!"

Naveen grinned, expecting Mrs. Ritter to tell him the first day he'd start.

"But I'm afraid I can't."

"Ma'am?" Naveen's features fell flat.

Mrs. Ritter scrunched her nose with a smile, "You see, my husband is the one that likes to hire his men for stocking." she grabbed a folder out of the file cabinet, "I really like you. I'm putting you in the 'good' folder!"

Naveen saw the word 'good' labeled in bold letters on the folder's tab. Not many papers were in it. All hope wasn't lost.

Mrs. Ritter held out her hand for a new handshake, "Eudora's a faithful customer to the store. We won't keep you waitin' for word long!"

"Thank you, Mrs. Ritt—"

"Mornin', Gramma!" Farley walked into the office with a proud strut.

"Mornin', baby!"

Naveeen looked down at the child coming across the gray slate floor. Taking a second glance, the prince began to smile. They'd met before.

Mrs. Ritter chuckled, holding the boy in a tight good morning hug and pressed a kiss on his freckled cheek.

Farley pulled away to see her happy brown eyes, "I'm here to look at the new recruit!" he toughed his features then saw Naveen; his stern appearance faded into a bright cheerful smile, recognizing the man, "My dance partner!" Farley tackled a laughing Naveen's legs, the child's bright red hat collapsed onto the office's cement floor.

Naveen crouched his legs, reciprocating the boy's warm embrace, "Hello, old friend!"

"Good word, you two know each other?"the Southern grandmother inquired, removing her reading glasses.

"Uh-huh!"Farley happily confirmed and looked back at Naveen, "Do you still have your ukulele, your majesty?"

"Your majesty?!"

"I do, mon ami!" Naveen playfully rubbed the boy's curls, "Still practicing those moves?"

"Uh-huh!"

" 'Yes, sir', Farley." Mrs. Ritter chided, coming over to the reunited friends, "How do you two know each other?" she looked between their matching white smiles.

Naveen allowed Farley to explain, "Gramma, remember when I went to shine shoes at Grandaddy's shop and then went out to the square to eat my san'which?"

"You do that a lot, Farley."

"Well, one time, I met the prince—I knew him from the papers—"Mrs. Ritter's eyes shot wide and glanced toward Naveen, modestly shrugging at her grandson's side, "and he played his ukulele, and I did my tap routine! The crowd loved us!" Farley's eyes twinkled at the prince, "Didn't they, your highness?"

"I told you on that day, my friend, and I'll tell you on this one: call me Naveen."

Farley giggled, jumping up to reach Naveen's neck for a third hug.

"Farley, what have I told you about dancing in that square with your tap shoes on? You'll scuff 'em up! Then what will we tell your tap teacher?"

"Grandaddy said I could!"

"Mmm…"the man's wife grumbled with crossed arms, her frown to the ceiling, "Joseph!"

"Can we hire the prince.."Farley tensed his shoulders, Naveen raising his brow, "Naveen, Gramma?" and added a charming smile on his request.

"No, Farley. You know your granddaddy is the one that hires the stockers around here!"

"Can I take Naveen to the square and put in a good word for him at the shop?"

"Not today. You know you've got your lesson from school. You also have tap later on. Now go on back to the house with ya mama. Mr. Naveen will be around."

"Yes, ma'am…"the adorable child pouted, hanging his shoulders down, and left Naveen's arms for his grandmother's office door.

"And straighten those shoulders, boy! It's bad posture!"

Farley vanished with an overly corrected back, nearly waddling away. Naveen laughed as Farley went back into the store's sales floor.

"So," the older woman's voice ceased the grown man's chortles, "you know my baby Farley…and you're a prince! Son, what are you doin' here?" she wanted the full story now.

"Well, Mrs. Ritter, let's just say my parents are teaching me a lesson…a good one, and I need honest work."

"I see." and she twirled a bead knitted on her purple and blue chain, thinking, "I tell you what: I'll make Mr. Ritter a big pan of peach cobbler tonight before he gets home. If I sweet talk him—just right—and you show up to his barber place Monday mornin', he might hire you on the spot."

Naveen smiled.

"You'll be on a test run, Mr. Zaraan. Do me proud."

"Thank you, Mrs. Ritter."

"Monday mornin'!" the boss' wife repeated as Naveen exited her office, "Mmm! Royalty…"she placed a hand on her chin, "workin' in my store…This one is for the books, Muriel!" she grinned to herself and went to put away her file folder, Naveen's name safely tucked inside.

** O-O-O-O-O**

Philipe quickly knocked on the white and turquoise doors, the entrance to King Amar's bedroom. His anxious eyes shifted over the silent guards and empty palace hall. A woman in the palace's standard maid uniform lifted her gaze as she opened the king's door.

"Margarette. May I come in?" the head valet greeted, "I need to acquire some of the king's attire."

"Of course, Master Philipe." The woman in blue curtsied, stepping aside.

"Thank you, Margarette. I won't be long." Philipe knew he had to hurry; he probably didn't have that much time. Walking further inside the bedroom, the man's heart nearly flopped with fear, "Your majesty!"

The queen was in the middle of speaking; a servant was sitting at a small work desk scribing her correspondence to her detective.

"Hello, Philipe." thinking little about the valet's presence, Queen Mira continued to instruct.

"What are you doing here, majesty?"

The royal writer and queen exchanged glances, puzzled, "This is my room, Philipe. What are you doing here?" the curious woman folded her arms.

Sweat flashed across the man in question's head; he fought the desire to nervously dart his vision, "I'm on an errand for the king." he properly informed, eyes closed, his nose high, "He needs a change of attire for a meeting this afternoon." Philipe felt dirty—low, like a dingy dog—

lying to his country's queen.

For the king's sake!

Mira nodded, "Very well, Philipe." she made an elegant turn with her aqua train, facing the other direction to pace as she spoke to her writer, "Add this please, Najam, 'If you would be so kind to explain to us our son's current address…'"

Philipe was in a silent panic in the grand closet of the king and queen, and the head valet was so nervous, he'd forgotten where Amar's underwear and ties were stored, drawer after drawer, identical to the last. He scrambled with unsteady hands through the smallest compartments, seeing so many things he didn't need—diamond cufflinks, ruby earrings, turquoise encrusted watches—the treachery was too much too bear! And where in that blasted closet was the king's luggage?! The frustrated valet stomped his foot on the couple's carpeted floor.

" 'Sincerely from the Maldonian Palace of Fateh Amarta Asar, her royal highness, Queen Mira Nicolette Angelique Minnah Sharma Asar, and his royal highness, King Amar Rana Jangi Maly Asar, queen and king of Maldonia.'" the woman sighed with complete satisfaction, the letter finalized, nothing left to be said; she whirled toward her smiling writer, clasping his feathered aqua pen, awaiting for her next orders, "Thank you, Najaam. Seal the letter for me and send it over to the royal mailers. I want the detective to receive that within the next four days."

"Zi, your highness." the male servant bowed his head and proofread his queen's correspondence silently.

"And remember, Naveen's marriage is to be kept a secret. Only you and Philipe are aware." She warned, whispering as the man exited so her maids wouldn't hear.

"Zi, your majesty. I'll go to the mailers immediately."

"M'ti thaka, Najam."

The servant in the turquoise uniform paid his queen final reverence and swiftly walked down the palace's hall. A little boy passed the writer in the hall, grasping firmly on a tall athletic woman's hand, keeping a tennis racket in the other.

"The young prince!" Najaam gladly bowed to the brunette royal, making him giggle.

"Hello, Najaam." Prince Ralphie and his instructor continued down the palace's rich blue carpeting, trimmed in shimmering gold, "Ma-ma!" the running prince stretched his arms out wide for his mother as he entered the bedroom; the queen immediately grinned and fell to her knees, her lustrous royal gown's wrinkles: a miniscule importance.

Mira cradled her precious young son, "Ralphie, my darling! How was tennis? Oh!" she felt the boy's wet skin, "You need a bath, mi satee pruto."

The boy giggled, continuing to hold his mother as she kissed his wet mousy waves.

"He's a natural at the sport, your majesty." The tennis professional, native to Maldonia, proudly informed.

"That's wonderful! Did you thank Miss Kati for your lesson?" Mira smiled as the child began to nod.

"He's truly a prince charming!" the athlete happily assured then twisted her mouth, "If only the men my age were as sweet as your son…"

Ralphie shifted toward his tennis instructor with a gasp and smile; his hazelnut orbs beamed sparking a clever thought, "You could date my brother, Miss Kati!"

His mother noticed the pleasant radiant features on the hired teacher's face fall pale and dim, "Oh, no…Ralphie." she was quick to respond, comprehending Naveen's reputation all too well, and recovered her smile with Mira, curtsying, "Would you like me back on Sunday, your highness?"

"Zi, Kati. Same time."

The light brunette nodded and waved to the young prince, "Goodbye, Ralphie. Excellent work today!"

"Graci, Ms. Kati!" Ralphie looked up at Mira as the tennis instructor left the king's bedroom, "Ma-ma?"

Mira directed the royal servants to draw Ralphie's bath and to get the tired child a selection of water and juices to drink.

"Ma-ma?" the little prince had a question, and he found it far more urgent than a bath: the six-year old didn't care about his sweaty body.

The servants abased, leaving Mira's view, and went to Amar's bathroom to prepare Ralphie's bath, "Yes, dear?" she smiled at the boy in her arms.

His tone was saddened, "When is Naveen coming home?" the boy's twinkling eyes were a spitting image to his brother's.

Mira sighed then brushed the youngest's hair off his face, "Hopefully soon, my love."

But the prince wasn't comforted, pouting his lip as she hugged him. Mira held the child to her chest in the brief silence while a heavy breath left his small body.

She kissed his soft cheek, "Stay here. I'll go see if your bath is ready."

Ralphie's gaze stuck to the queen until she disappeared, and he motioned his body as he heard a bumbling clutter emerge from his parents' closet, "Philipe?" the child gathered himself from the carpet, observing the wobbling valet in total height, weighted with tan leather luggage bags.

"Ralphie!" the head servant groaned, constrained each way he turned, wearing the king's favorite fedora over his head, "Where's your mother, majesty?" he needed to make a sprint for the door.

The curious child was suspicious, placing his tiny bronze hands on his hips, "Where are you going with Papa's things?"

"Uh…" the adult's knees quaked, "your father's going on a little trip."

"He is?" Ralphie's young lips gasped with shock, "He didn't tell me."

"Oh, well, the king's always so busy, Ralphie, you know." the man's strength was fleeting, attempting to step toward the entrance.

"Yeah…I know." the king's son had a flat tone, lowering his shoulders; Amar rarely made time for him.

"Don't be sad, Ralphie. The king will be back soon." emotions were beginning to delay Philipe's escape.

"Okay, Philipe." a warm smile returned upon the prince's appearance.

"And, you still have your mother in his absence." he pointed out, and Ralphie laughed as the valet's quivering arms and legs at last gave way, collapsing with the king's luggage and coat: his thud echoed across the royal bedroom.

Mira opened the bathroom's entrance; a sweet scent followed her exit and she frowned over the clumsy valet, a living carpet upon her floor, "Philipe?" the anxious man informally addressed her by her first name, falling once more in panic; he was caught, "Where are you going with Amar's luggage?"

Ralphie looked toward the aching valet, rubbing his sore ankle after a luggage bag thwacked against his foot.

"I, ush—uh, I..Well—"

"Philipe!" his queen snarled, startling her son.

The head valet broke, sobbing, "The king is planning a getaway ship to see the crown prince in America! Ugh-hu-hu-huuuug." he elaborated his repentance, extending it with groveling; he clenched the gasping woman's turquoise gown, so rich in color—as her mercy, "Forgive me, madam! I am so sorry I kept this from you!" Ralphie perched a giggle as the man's snot trailed his lips, and his friend handled his mother's gown more earnestly, "I'm so ashamed! Bu-huh-hu-huuuu!"

Mira's glance rose from the blubbering man at her feet, and her cerulean orbs seethed. Amar wasn't the only royal who could make secret plans!

* * *

**A/N: And that's part one. I'll put part two up as soon as I can! Until then, please review! Thank you all so much for reading.**

**Glossary:**

**Spidazzi (Maldonian): **hurry

**Mi quena (Maldonian): **my queen

**Mi shinga (Maldonian): **my king

**A navee pruta (Maldonian): **a new princess

**Mon ami (French): **my friend

**Zi (Maldonian): **yes

**M' ti thaka (Maldonian): **thank you or I thank you

**Mi satte pruto (Maldonian): **my sweaty prince

**Fateh (Maldonian): **victory; conqueror; triumph

**Amarta (Maldonian): **the ultimate victory

**Asar (Maldonian): **wisdom


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